The Certainty

“Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, ‘Father, I thank you that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.” John 11:41,42

“Peace is the blessing of believing prayer.” Don Miller b. 1922, Preacher, Pastor, Church Planter & Prayer Warrior

Recently I was walking with my 92 year-old Dad, Don Miller. He spoke these simple words to me. They had nothing to do with what he and I had just been talking about, and they seemed to belong to a conversation he had been having with someone else. They were. These days, they often are.

At this stage of Dad’s life, his public ministry is no longer visible to those who knew him as a force of nature on preaching platforms and prayer conferences around the world.

On the other hand, his prayer life with The Father has never been more active and conversational.

Dad slips in and out of conversation with others, while carrying on a private conversation with The Father. He does this with such a seamless stride that is sometimes a bit difficult to tell, if he is praying or talking to me, but it is a sweet picture of his personal walk with His Savior. He seems to be living out the words of a great old song written in 1906, and a personal favorite of his, “Nothing Between My Soul and My Savior.” Conversation with Dad may be a bit unusual for the uninitiated, but for those who are willing to listen, it is always filled with precious gems of truth that spill over from his quiet conversations with Jesus.

Believing prayer has always been one of the great gifts Jesus has offered to His followers. This kind of prayer is deeply relational and completely conversational. It is as real as the breath in a person’s lungs, and when it is repeated with the same kind of gentle regularity, the answers flow as trust in The Father grows with each fresh believing prayer.   

When Jesus heard of the death of his dear friend, Lazarus, the Scripture says, “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35) The passion and compassion of Jesus flowed from a heart of love for The Father and poured out on those around Him. His tears were visible signs of his heart beating, with the love of The Father, and breaking over the pain that death can bring to those He loved.  

General Booth, founder of The Salvation Army, received a telegram from one of his discouraged officers, complaining of the difficulties he was facing, attempting to carry out the general’s assignment. When he asked the general what to do next, Booth wired back, “Try tears.”

When tearless praying and prayerless preaching become completely acceptable behavior, they fall short of what passed for praying and preaching in the life of Jesus. His church should never settle for less, or expect more from The Father with the absence of either one. But I digress.

“So Jesus again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb.” John 11:38

Commentators debate to this day, the reason for the tears of Jesus. The fact remains, they were an overflow of his private, and personal conversation with His Father. Perhaps they were tears of frustration. In speaking to Martha, no weak sister, and more than willing to give Jesus advice, Jesus said, “Did I not say to you, that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” John 11:40

Apparently, believing prayer was a gift Jesus had already offered to Martha. She had a strong work ethic, but her faith was weak. Believing prayer turns a crisis over to The Father, in the name of The Son. It gives The Spirit enough elbow-room to do the heavy lifting required to reveal “the glory of God.”

There is no great work accomplished when people figure out the least they can do, pull it off in their own strength, and then give God the glory for it. Martha remains the poster girl for “Do It Yourself Christianity.” She has a huge fan base.

It gives no glory to The Father, for His frantic children to pray like orphans, as if the answers to their prayers depend on them, and not God. Faithless people may not be prayerless, just prideful. They fear asking God to do too much because people might expect them to cover the cost of what God doesn’t pay when they pray.

Faithless praying weakens prayer into a stale devotional exercise, and fails to launch a great adventure. There is a huge difference between taking a walk in the park, and climbing Mt. Everest. Believing prayer is worth the risk of failure. The view from the summit of answered prayer is spectacular.

“No great work of God has ever been accomplished without the element of risk. Mark out the word risk and insert the word faith. They are one and the same.” Dr. John Bisagno, Pastor Emeritus, Houston’s First Baptist Church – Houston, Texas

The prayer life of Jesus reveals He maintained intimate, unbroken conversation with The Father, and He believed The Father heard Him when He prayed. He engaged in the former with confidence, but never took the latter for granted.  He prayed, “Father, I thank you that you have heard Me.”

Before Jesus prayed in front of those standing around, He engaged in confident, believing prayer in private. He looked into the eyes of The Father thanking Him, and reminding His followers, “You always hear Me.” Thank God, indeed!

Believing prayer is not based upon eloquence of the prayer warrior, but upon confidence in The Father. Jesus raised His eyes to The Father, and looked with confidence into His eyes, knowing that The Father was already aware of the crisis at hand, not ignoring it. Jesus prayed and allowed The Father to assume all the risks for answered prayer. Before He called for Lazarus to come forth from the grave, Jesus had been assured of The Certainty that His prayer had been heard, and the answer secured.

Believing prayer resists the urge to panic in the face of a crisis, or to pacify prayer into the call of the mild. It places any choice, career or crisis, large and small, into The Father’s hands. Believing prayer trusts The Spirit to interpret the weakest prayer, and deliver it to The Son.  Jesus always gave all the glory to The Father for any answer to His intercession for those He loved. He still does. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Faithful

“But I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:32

Self-appointed leaders and Spirit anointed leaders have one thing in common.  Each can be tempted to become full of “S.E.L.F.” (Selfish Egos Living Freely)

One of the more intriguing passages of Scripture is found in the statement made to Simon Peter prior to Jesus informing his leading disciple of His personal intercession for him. Jesus said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat.” Luke 22:31

In understanding the intent of the content of Scripture, context is everything. Jesus had just overheard “a dispute among them as to which of them was regarded as the greatest.” Luke 22:24

Apparently Peter’s was not the only over-active ego that was running amuck among The Twelve. Any claim Peter had on being the greatest among the disciples was disputed and debated. Jesus stepped in to clear the air.

The price of leadership and the cost of discipleship are equally expensive. They each require death to self. When Jesus heard His disciples discussing how valuable they were to The Kingdom, He specifically reminded Peter of the price on his head, and the target on his back.

In the book of Job, all hell was unleashed on the hero of the story, right after God had bragged about him. Satan challenged the value of Job’s virtue and the purity of his motives. Spoiler Alert: God allowed the evil one to put both to the test. Even with a happy ending, it was not a pretty picture. It rarely is.

Jesus warned his disciples about laying claim to the role of a leader based upon the world’s value system. In His Kingdom, the servant is held in the highest esteem. “The greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant.” Jesus (Luke 22:26)

Jesus specifically interceded for Simon Peter based upon the personal target that had been placed upon his back. Satan deals out his worst attacks on those he perceives are the leaders of any Spirit-led movement of God. Those who rush to the head of the line, or campaign to have their names placed on the next best speakers’ program may not be God’s chosen leaders. However, they catch Satan’s eye. He puts a price on their heads and a target on their backs.  It never ends well when posers persist in leading, while they resist praying.  

The Prayer: Jesus interceded for Peter, by name. His intercession was for his faith to remain strong in the face of his failure. He knew Peter would fail. He prayed for him so his failure would not be permanent.

The Permission: Satan was permitted to sift, and Peter was allowed to drift. This may be disturbing, but it is the truth.

The Prophecy: The sifting of Satan would lead to the drifting of Peter. Jesus knows His followers are capable of great faith, and great failure. The purpose of His intercession for Peter was for him to turn to Jesus to find fresh, life-changing faith in the midst of his failure. Peter did. Judas didn’t. Big difference.

The Pride: Peter was so full of is own sense of self-worth, that he missed the point of the assessment Jesus placed upon the purity of his faith. His faith was in himself, not in His Savior. When Peter was about to drown in the Sea of Galilee, he cried out, “Lord, save me.” His prayer was answered. This time Peter suffered from “I” trouble and missed The Savior’s helping hand. Prideful people are prayerless, but they are never selfless.

“But he said to Him, ‘Lord, with you I am ready to go both to prison and to death.’” Peter – Luke 22:33

The Provision: Faithfulness is produced in those who refuse to drift from consistent companionship with The Savior.  The Spirit fills them with this particular fruit of the character of Christ, in direct proportion to their dependence on Jesus, not their independence from Him.

“When I sent you out, without money belt, bag and sandals, you did not lack anything did you?” Jesus – Luke 22:35

Note to self: Sifting is inevitable. Drifting is not. Being sifted by Satan doesn’t mean you have to succumb to the painful process of sifting to the dangerous detour of drifting.  Failure to believe in The Savior’s capacity to turn the worst thing that could ever happen to you into the best thing in your life is a lack of faith. There is more faith where your first faith came from, and you must humbly pray for more to receive more. When you do, expect more faith, and more sifting. To avoid falling on your face in failure, fall on your faith in Jesus.

The Cross and The Resurrection reveal the capacity of Jesus to take the impossible and turn it into The HIMpossible. Failure may appear final to Satan. The appearance of The Cross deceived The Deceiver. The Father specializes in providing more faith to those who empty themselves and pray to be filled with His Spirit and His Son’s faithfulness. The faithful in every generation have always done the best of things in the worst of times. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Children

“Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, ‘Let the children come and do not hinder them from coming to Me, for the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.’ After laying His hands on them, He departed from there.” Matthew 19:13-15

“’Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.’ And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.” Mark 10:13-16

“And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them.” Luke 18:15-17

Two common denominators of each of these three passages are the disciples’ open rebuke of The Children and The Master’s personal touch upon them. The rebuke of the children revealed the content of the hearts of the disciples. The rebuke of the disciples revealed the character of Jesus. Follow Him!

The disciples appointed themselves, as gatekeepers to The Kingdom. Rather than positioning themselves, as welcome mats to The Master, they were elbowing each other, and little ones, for a seat on the front row of the class. Jesus took them to school, and put them back in their place and in the back of the class.  

“Do not hinder them from coming to Me.”

One of the first songs learned in Sunday School, “Jesus Loves the Little Children,” clearly reveals the heart of Jesus, and the world-wide embrace of His global compassion. As the contemporary church gathers for worship in the face of Christian children around the world being beheaded, buried alive, kidnapped and sold into slavery by Islamist extremists, it is crucial to pray for God’s protection of His little ones.   

“Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.”

A ministry-hardened heart is a poor substitute for the compassion of Jesus. Sometimes the bright stage lights of an active, public ministry have a way of evaporating from the heart of a servant of God the one thing that is most important in ministry, the heart of The Father.

Note to self: Prayer protects your heart from being consumed by ministry, and fills you with The Father’s love for people. Do it!

The disciples fell into the trap of people who exert themselves to do more for Jesus, but end up expressing less of Him. The disciples may have had good intentions, but they missed God’s best. Jesus set the record straight and revealed the love of The Father for The Children.

The prayer life of Jesus reveals that He prayed to The Father, until His heart was filled with The Father’s will and His way to carry out ministry. The disciples were proud of their position on Team Jesus. In their own eyes, they had been promoted as men in authority. They were so close, and yet so far away.

Prayer warriors are not marked by a passion for being in authority, but they exhibit a persistent humility to be under authority. This is where the power of prayer is found by the humble, and when it is released through them it mystifies the proud.

Prideful people hold onto a position of authority, only to find out they have no power. Prayerful people yield to The Father’s authority and discover The Spirit’s life-changing, life-giving power, in the name of The Son.

Prayer softens the heart of the humble to embrace those whom The Father loves. Prayerlessness hardens a heart until there is very little flow of The Father’s love, to those who need it the most. The Spirit’s mark on the heart of a disciple of Jesus is the love of The Father. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Prayerless people may hold themselves in high regard, and even hold what appear to be exalted positions in The Kingdom. Yet, their private prayerlessness only invites the public rebuke of The Father. Jesus rebuked the disciples for grasping for a position close to Him, without taking hold of the hands of little children and bringing them to Him.

“Setting the woods on fire” in ministry sometimes brings the head, but sheds very little light. One thing is certain. Prayerless people are blinded by the smoke of man-made ministry, and breathe their own toxic ether, until they can’t see “the least of these” or say an encouraging word to anyone.

There is no record of the words Jesus prayed over The Children. There are only the repeated images of His tenderness towards them. My personal favorite is…

“And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.” Mark 10:13-16

There is something about this gentle picture that warms my heart, and tenderizes it to the point of surrendering my will to The Father’s will. It encourages me to put on my ministry eyes, and become more aware of opportunities to minister, to pray for those and to bless those who have no power to advance my own personal agenda or return the favor to me.

This morning I find myself called to pray for parents who have such a powerful responsibility to bring their children to Jesus. The little children, recorded in these Scripture passages, who received a touch and a blessing from Jesus were brought to Him by parents and guardians who wished the best for their little ones during the worst of times. Wise parents still do. Pray for them, and encourage them. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The 4,000

“And he took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.” Matthew 15:35 / Mark 8:6,7


Manley Beasley was a great man of faith. He walked among Southern Baptists giving them more insight into God’s faith-building process than most people ever wanted to know. He would often pose one of this favorite questions to preachers or anyone else seeking a deeper life with Christ.  “What are you trusting God for today?”

Bro. Manley’s question was meant to take a person to a whole new level of trust in God. His point was to press believers to understand the full measure of faith, and their complete lack of it. This kind of faith is not a doctrinal position, but a dynamic passion. He wanted to know if people were trusting God for something so impossible and improbable, that if God didn’t come through, they were toast.

Jesus did not protect His disciples from the impossible or the improbable. He confronted them with their lack of faith, over and over again. His questions were designed to bring them to the end of their own resources, and to learn to rely on Him as The Source.

Questioning one’s faith is not always a sign of disbelief in God. It is often an expression of distrust in oneself, or the fear of failure.

Faith is not figuring out what man can do, and financing it as cheap as possible. Faith is facing an impossible crisis, and probable failure with a calm and confidence in God to perform the improbable, and to provide the HIMpossible. Big difference.

 Fear, posing as faith, causes the faithless to protect their reputation, by not expecting too much out of God in public. They dilute faith to a form of piety that only allows enough elbowroom for them to do what they are able to do, in their own strength, with their own resources.

At the completion of a task, the protected and the pious engage in an awkward, disingenuous balancing act of giving God the glory, while taking credit for the accomplishment. The contemporary church is often marked, by underwhelming results being claimed by overwhelming egos. It is not a pretty picture, and the world is not impressed by the show. Stop it!

Jesus questioned the disciples’ faith regularly to test if they were improving in their dependence on Him, or leaning on their own wisdom and creativity. Prior to “The Feeding of the 4,000” Jesus stated,

“I feel compassion for the people,…and I do not want to send them away hungry…” Matthew 15:32

The disciples said to Him, “Where would we get so many loaves in this desolate place to satisfy such a large crowd?” And Jesus said to them, ‘How many loaves do you have?’” Matthew 15:34

The disciples were frustrated by the compassion of Jesus, not a hungry crowd of people. Up until the time Jesus spoke about His passion to meet the need of 4,000 people, the disciples had their bases covered. They had seven loaves and some fish and were more than willing to share it among themselves. They were focused on survival. Jesus was interested in revival. He still is.

Revival takes place when the fear of failure dies, and life-giving faith is resurrected. Jesus intended to bring His disciples to the end of their resources, by having them come face to face with the impossibility of meeting the need. Jesus didn’t intend to lower His expectations for His disciples. He focused on raising their level of trust in Him. He still does.

Jesus felt compassion for the people. Feeding them was a natural by-product of His concern for them. The disciples were proud of their association with Jesus, but when asked to share His compassion, they were intimidated. They counted what they had in their hands and trusted in their own resources, to meet the need, not Jesus.

“The Feeding of the 4,000” might more accurately be described as “The Faith-building of The Twelve.” Faced with the impossible, the disciples eventually placed what they had in the hands of Jesus. Jesus performed the improbable and provided the HIMpossible.

Believing prayer faces the fear of failure, by placing any minor inconvenience and every impossible crisis into the hands of Jesus. Believing prayer leans on Jesus to handle it with care.

Note to self: When faced with the fear of failure, and in need of resurrected faith, HANDLE WITH PRAYER. Don’t settle for survival. Expect revival. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Request

“Lord, teach us to pray.” Luke 11:1

This simple statement, brought to Jesus, by one soul-starved disciple unleashed the greatest weapon in the battle against evil that believers will ever have available to them, this side of Heaven.  The Request will never be ignored by The Lord, Jesus Christ. Whenever it is brought to Him, by anyone, in any generation, it is always answered.

Those humble enough to admit they do not know it all, will be enrolled in The School of Prayer and taught “to pray.” Those who confess they are in needy will not only receive instruction about prayer. They will be inspired “to pray.” There is no graduation day on earth from The School of Prayer.  The lessons of intercession are learned on earth until the student graduates to Heaven.  The only degree is a Ph.D.* (*Pray Hard Daily).

The power of prayer is found in The Presence of The Lord.  Jesus makes Himself available to those who honor His Lordship and desire His companionship. Those who are proud of their education, and eloquence may talk about Him, and yet fail to talk to Him.

Talking about marriage and being married are not the same thing.  In a similar way, talking about Jesus, without talking to Him falls short of intimacy with The Lord.

When David walked through the valley of the shadow of death, he discovered a life-changing truth, “You are with me.” Until that moment in time, David’s 23rd Psalm had been filled with solid references about The Lord. When fear overwhelmed him and danger surrounded him, David’s communication was transformed from a third person view of God to a face to face conversation with Him. Believing prayer does that…EVERY TIME.

There is always a great danger in being trapped in “The Valley of The Shadow of Death.” The enemy sets an ambush for those who become too busy doing the work of The Lord, that they fail to spend time with the Lord of the work. The enemy always knows the difference, long before the weary worker is aware of the loss of power. The enemy fears The Presence of The Champion, not the frantic efforts of the foot-soldier.

One disciple heard something in the prayer life of The Lord that was missing in his own life, and those around him. Recognizing one’s need always launches The Request and unleashes the weapon of prayer. Praying by blowing the whistle on others may appear gratifying, but it always invites The Lord’s correction of the whistle-blower.

Warning: Prayer warriors must be prepared to be changed, before they see a change in others. But I digress.

“Until the church utilizes prayer as the world class weapon in the battle against evil there will be little hope of a turnaround.” George Barna

“Lord” expresses a heart of humility, and a spirit of total surrender to the way and the will of Jesus. Prayerless people are prideful people. Only the humble of heart will truly know His Presence and His power.  Heaven on earth, and in each heart always begins with, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”

“Teach” reveals the process of prayer. The School of Prayer only enrolls those who admit they don’t know it all.  English theologian and commentator, Dr. William Barclay, was once asked if a certain young man was one of his students.” He replied, “No. He only attends my classes.” His point was clear. Sitting in class with a stiff-necked rebellion to what is being taught only postpones graduation. Rebellious behavior always results in having to stay after school, or repeating the course.

“Us” unveils the essence of believing prayer, intercession. The Request was made by a single person, on behalf of a corporate body. Intercessory prayer is the very heartbeat of The Lord. He sits at the right hand of The Father and intercedes His followers at this very moment. Those who follow Him, not only have Jesus in their hearts, but they share His heartbeat and compassion for others. Selfish, self-centered prayers may very well be answered, but they always fall short of the kind of intimacy and intercession that mark the prayer life of Jesus.

“To pray” completes the point of the statement. Prayer doesn’t take place by listing requests, and sharing needs. Anyone who has ever led a Wednesday night prayer meeting, or an opening assembly in a Senior Adult Sunday School Department is very familiar with “the gasp” that escapes the mouths of those who have heard the latest ghastly hospital report on those who are missing from the gathering. The point of the meeting seems to be telling the goriest story, not interceding for their relief. In the words of a Texas rancher who knew how to tell a tall tale, “The first liar never has a chance.” Stop it! Start praying!

Note to self: Pray it don’t say it. Saying it over and over again and putting it before people, without laying it before Jesus, is not praying.  Taking it to Jesus and putting it before the people is not always the same thing. Whatever you share, make sure it begins and ends in prayer.  Anything less is not intercession. Sharing without praying only postpones the solution. “Lord, teach us to pray.” TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The One

“And it happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place after He was finished, one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught His disciples.” Luke 11:1

One of the most underrated statements in Scripture may very well be, “And it happened.” Authors of fantasy literature are known to introduce their story lines with, “Once upon a time.” Luke begins his record of this vital turning point in history, not with a flight of fancy, but with statement of fact. This happened!

The prayer life of the followers of Jesus is based upon this one solid truth. Long before prayer warriors ever start praying to Him, Jesus has been praying for them. When Jesus prays, things happen that turn the impossible into the HIMpossible. He only needs one person of faith to begin the Spiritual transformation in the heart of an individual, or the soul of a nation. Just one.

The Son’s intense intimacy with The Father, and His intercession for His followers has never been a devotional detour from the cares of the world or the current crisis of the hour. Intercession has always been an expression of His clear perspective on what is required to make a difference in the world and to meet the need of the hour, PRAYER to The Father.

Where ever and whenever The Spirit ignites the fire of prayer in the hearts of believers, it is a result of The Son’s intimacy with The Father, and His intercession for His church.  Those who have a passion for prayer need not take pride in it. They should be humbled by the very idea that they have been entrusted with the stewardship of this powerful weapon. No man or woman came up with the idea of praying. Prayer is not a good idea. Prayer is God’s idea, and if people are doing it, it came to them, “While Jesus was praying”

Jesus set a priority, made a pattern, and chose a place for prayer. He wore out a path for intimacy with The Father, and intercession for His church. His disciples knew He could be found praying, “In a certain place”

Prayer warriors, who intend to make a stand against the enemy, need a place to kneel. Homes and churches are filled with chairs, rooms, or special places that meet specific needs. Without a kitchen there won’t be much effective cooking done in a home. Without carving out a place and a time to pray, there will be little praying. People seek out places to improve their physical health, but often fail to care for their spiritual health. Do both.

Note to self:  Can the people closest to you find the time when and the place where you pray? Let those closest too you, know you have a prayer closet, and that you use it on their behalf.

Scripture indicates that one solitary person can make a huge difference. Anyone seeking a crowd to join them in prayer will either be too intimidated by the prospect of an empty room that they will cancel the prayer meeting, or they will be very disappointed by the turnout of those who showed up to pray.

 “One of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray.’ ”

It is interesting to note, that Jesus was not met by a delegation of disciples. Only one came to Him, and said, “Lord, teach us to pray.”  It only takes one praying person to begin the next Great Awakening.

Note to self #2: Be the one! Stop looking for a crowd. Start praying. No one can follow you, until they see the pattern in your own life, your home, your church, your community, and your country. Get over yourself. It only takes one prune to start a movement. Be the one!

“The fervent prayer of a righteous man, availeth much.” James 5:16 KJV

At a recent retirement party my 92 year-old father, Don Miller, was asked to share his favorite verse of Scripture. Without hesitation, he responded, “Lord, teach us to pray.”

After three decades of traveling to six continents, and to 1,000 churches in the United States teaching people to pray, this is the one verse The Spirit of God continues to illuminate in my Dad’s heart. Even through the fog of a fading memory, it still rises like the dawn and comes to his mind, bringing a clarity of thought and a purpose for life. Thanks, Dad, for being the one who has always led the way to pray, in my life and in the lives of thousands of other people, whose names are known only to The Father.

In 1873, in Dublin, Ireland, American preacher Dwight L. Moody heard these words spoken to him by a dear friend, Henry Varley, a British revivalist. “The world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to him?’ ” Moody spent the rest of his life focused on yielding his own heart to God, and leaving the results up to God.  He is remembered for huge crowds hungering for his great-hearted preaching.  

If the next Great Awakening hinges on one person’s heart being placed in the hands The Father, will you be the one? One praying person is worth more to The Father, than the world can ever produce. Be the one, who finds the time and the place to come to The Son, and say with all your heart, “Lord, teach us to pray.” TALK LESS! PRAY MORE! 

The Revealed

“At that time, Jesus said, ‘I praise You, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.’ “ Matthew 11:25-26 / Luke 10:21

Jesus denounced the cities that had seen most of His miracles, but had failed to repent. The Son pronounced judgment on “the wise and intelligent,” because they failed to yield to The Father, and allow The Spirit to turn their lives around.

Unbroken, childish pride is not softened or satisfied by a great work of God. It only responds to The Father with a spirit of entitlement demanding,  “What else ya’ got?”

Scripture reveals time and again, a timeless truth, “Jesus loves the little children.” The early childhood song taught in Sunday School was spot on theologically. “They are precious in His sight.” Indeed.

Stay with me on this. The slight sprinkling of a faithless child has about as much power to convert or turn a life around, as the full immersion of a prideful adult.  The power to save is released when genuine humility is expressed.  Jesus set this standard for citizenship, in His preamble to The Constitution of Kingdom.

“Blessed as the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 5:2

The blessing was not pronounced on poor people, but humble people. Prideful people simply don’t want to have their lives turned around. Instead of allowing The Spirit of God to convert them into genuine believers, they create excuses for their incorrigible behavior. In the words of Dr. Phil, “How’s that workin’ for yah?”

My personal belief in Scripture leads me to embrace the symbol of immersion as the clearest expression of a turnaround in a believer’s life.  I have always pronounced over the baptismal candidate, “I baptize you in the name of The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.”

The help to turn a life around does not come from a healthy helping of water, but from The Helper. The Holy Spirit only enters into “the poor in spirit.” Yielding to the symbol of baptism without obeying the leading of The Spirit robs the symbol of its true meaning, and gives no evidence of a turnaround.

Burying beneath the water, should lead a convert to listening to and walking in The Spirit. Words mean things, and when a person is raised up out of the water, the first words they hear are,  “Buried with Christ in baptism. Raised to walk in newness of life.”

Immersion symbolizes salvation as a turnaround of the living dead into living converts. A humbled, changed life is what salvation is really all about.  Anything less than a turn around conversion is only a slow dance of personal rebellion.

Note to self: Don’t be fooled by the “Hokey Pokey.”  Doing what you want is not “what its all about.”

“Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever humbles himself as this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 18:2-4

Genuine humility is not a matter of thinking less of oneself, but thinking of oneself less.  Prayerless people are so prideful that they cannot bring themselves to yield to The Father’s direction, protection or correction. Jesus offers His yoke. The Spirit provides The Fruit of Christ’s character. Still, the prideful chafe under the yoke, and offer imitation fruit because they are too proud to pray.

Jesus praised His Father for hiding His Presence, and the power to repent from the prideful. The Father only reveals Himself to His humble children of faith, and He offers the name of His Son as the key to His Presence. Those who pray will not hesitate to obey. This is what its all about.

Prayerful, humble repentance is the sign of a changed life. Baptism is only the symbol of it. Being sprinkled, immersed, or dry cleaned won’t turn a rebellious life around. Prayer takes the stiffness out the neck of a person who has a tendency to chafe under the yoke of Jesus. Prayer will soften the hardest heart to receive The Fruit and bear the character of Christ that only The Spirit can plant.

Prayerful people approach The Father as little children who are dependent upon Him for life, and love. They are not spoiled brats who demand what they want. They are humble children who receive what He gives. When they let go of what they want, The Father reveals what they need the most, a personal turn around. Prayerful children will never substitute total immersion for complete conversion. Settle for nothing less. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Transfiguration

“Some eight days after these sayings, He (Jesus) took along Peter and John and James and went up to the mountain to pray. And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming.” Luke 9:29

After the miracle of The Feeding of The 5,000, Jesus challenged all His disciples with the very essence of a walk with God. He invited them to follow Him up to The Mountain to pray.

 A personal walk with God begins with immediate, and personal obedience to the words of Jesus, “Follow ME!” This new Christian walk continues by applying the testimony of The Apostle Paul, “I die daily.” A balanced walk takes both.

 “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up His cross daily and follow Me.” – Jesus, Lord and Savior

Eight days after making this statement, once again, Jesus “went up to the mountain to pray.” Some people climb higher to get a better view of creation available to them by a change in elevation. Jesus was drawn to greater heights to get a better view of The Creator.  A closer view of God requires more than a change in elevation. It requires a focus on intimate communication with The Father, and intense intercession on behalf of others.

Luke records this time Jesus did not go alone to pray, but took three of His closest friends with Him. Receiving the message does not require repeating the miracle on “The Mount of Transfiguration.” To learn the lessons of the experience, they must first be remembered and then received.  

A miracle is a sign of more to come, not a point of the final arrival at the destination. After Jesus fed five thousand, He gave His twelve disciples a one question pop quiz. “Who do the people say that I am?” Peter’s correct response was, “The Christ of God.”  Jesus then challenged each of His disciples wishing to follow Him, to “take up his cross and die daily.”

Note to self: When God allows you to be a part of something that only He can do, it is not an excuse for you to sit down and take a break, or to write your memoirs. It is an invitation to die daily and to climb higher in your walk with Jesus. Get over yourself and get with The Father, in The Spirit, by praying in the name of The Son, Jesus Christ.

Dying daily requires a living faith that is sustained by believing prayer. This death is exhibited by praying with the last breath that is in one’s lungs and by climbing higher with the next step of faith.  

Climbing higher requires leaving other people behind and former pastimes below. Peter, John and James left the other disciples behind and followed Jesus to new heights. What they were privileged to see on The Mountain was not a result of their experience or their eloquence. It was a by-product of their obedience.

“Too many men pray cream and live skim milk.” Henry Ward Beecher, 19th Century American preacher and pastor

“And while He was praying” indicates that Jesus didn’t just climb The Mountain to get a better view. He climbed higher to get in touch with God. Some people will make an effort to go to church, attend a conference, a camp, and even a prayer meeting, but fail to get in touch with God. They skim the surface of God’s Word but never taste the cream of His Presence. Jesus had a taste for what mattered most in His life, and through prayer, He dove into the deeper and the sweeter Presence of God.

Prayer made a visible difference in Jesus because The Father reached down and touched Him. When The Son knelt down and called out to The Father, He responded with His Presence. Prayerless people exhibit a form of insanity by continuing to expect a different result by repeating the same mistake. Prayeful people experience the difference only God can make.

“The appearance of His face became different.”

During the past 42 years of ministry, I have presided over the deathwatches and funerals of hundreds of people. Those who are in the final hours of their lives on earth take on a different look, as they gain a clearer perspective on Heaven. It has not been unusual for people to call out by name to people they recognize, but who remain unseen by others in the room.

Believing prayer has a similar effect. It puts the prayer warrior above the sound of the battle, and in touch with The Champion who has already won the victory. Those who pray are not marked with worry lines, but reflect the peace that passes all understanding.

“Peace is the blessing of believing prayer.” Don Miller, Pastor, Preacher, Church Planter and Prayer Warrior

“His clothing became white and gleaming.”

One of the earliest Madison Avenue platitudes I can recall is, “Clothes make the man.” It isn’t true. Actually, clothes only announce the man. What the man does while wearing the clothes makes him or breaks him. Better clothes won’t make a better man. The prayerless man is merely the “Poster Boy” of an empty suit. Cheap grace always produces cheap suits. But I digress.

The appearance of Jesus, both His face and His clothes, changed, “while He was praying.” This was a reflection of The Father’s pleasure on His Son. The followers of Jesus are never more pleasing to The Father than when they follow His Son into the arena of prayer. Self-made men are prayerless men who make a name for themselves, but never discover the difference God can make in them and through them.

“While He was praying,” two men, Moses and Elijah, began “talking with Him…speaking about His departure which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem.” v. 30-31

Waking from prayerless sleep, and seeing Moses and Elijah, Peter, never one to fail to speak His mind, called on Jesus to mark this special occasion with three equal tabernacles. He equated these two men talking with Jesus, as a sign of their equality with Him. “Not realizing what he was saying,” indeed. Peter was silenced by the voice of God. “This is My Son, My Chosen One, listen to Him.” v. 35

Dying daily involves following Jesus into the arena of prayer, and staying there long enough until the prayer warrior’s concern for change in his circumstances pales in significance to the desire for the change only The Presence of God can make in his countenance. The Father knows by the look on the faces of His children when they have been worrying more and praying less. Other people can tell the difference too. Die more. Worry less. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Happening

“And it happened that while He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them saying, “Who do the people say that I am?” Luke 9:16

“And it happened” seems like such an insignificant expression when it is separated from any close connection with the intense intercession, Jesus carried out on behalf of His disciples. When Jesus prayed, it just so happened that power was released from Heaven.

The intercession of Jesus was the source of great insight, and wisdom to His disciples. His early followers received far more favor from The Father than they ever knew. His grace did not come to them as a result of their eloquent prayers, but it was granted to them due to the intimate and intense intercession of The Son. His grace always has, and His grace always will.

Since Jesus still intercedes for His followers, seated at the right hand of The Father, contemporary disciples continue to be the beneficiaries of The Son’s intercession, and The Father’s great favor.   The Father’s favor graced the early disciples, and The Son’s intercession remains the source of living hope and genuine faith in the lives of His contemporary followers. Thank you, Jesus, indeed.

When Jesus walked away with from His temptation experience in the desert he had a clear insight into the purpose of Satan. The evil one wished Him no good will. What the enemy did to The Son, he would do to His friends. The three temptations from Satan convinced Jesus to prepare His disciples for what they would face. The simple truth is this.  Everything in life is a test of faith. But I digress.

“While He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him.” At first glance this passage of Scripture appears to be a contradiction of terms and a physical impossibility. It is neither.

After the miracle of The Feeding of the 5,000, Jesus prayed, alone, for His disciples. Carrying the twelve basket of left overs, must have been a powerful reminder to the disciples of what they had just  witnessed. As they walked and talked about what they had seen God do in the past, they were in danger of missing out on intimacy with The Son in the present tense.

“You can’t live on yesterday’s manna.” Author unknown

One of the greatest mistakes made by the people of faith, is the dropping of their guard after a great spiritual victory. The counter attack of the enemy is often swift and devastating to those who are unprepared. Jesus prayed because He knew the enemy always preyed on the unsuspecting.

The intercession of Jesus took place, as Jesus journeyed down the road with His disciples. His body was near them, but His heart was drawn towards Heaven. Prayer was The Son’s homing beacon, or His spiritual GPS. Prayer connected Him to The Father. He was alone with The Father, and at the same time He was able to pray on a dusty road surrounded by His unguarded disciples.

Jesus prayed privately, in a public place.  General crowd noise is generally an annoyance, and it often distracts a wandering mind from a private conversation with The Father.  Rather than allowing it to impede His intercession, Jesus used it as a catalytic converter for prayer. Prepared prayer warriors will too.

“Praying alone, the disciples were with Him,” Over-hearing His disciples did not prove to be a distraction to The Son. Their conversation fueled His attraction to The Father.

Note to self: The next time you hear more crowd noise than the still, small voice of The Spirit, start praying for those around you to hear from The Father. What you hear others say will either become a distraction or a source of discernment. If it is the latter, then it is a call to pray for people, not criticize them.

“Discernment is given for intercession, never fault-finding.” Oswald Chambers

Jesus prayed and expected results. Praying was not a devotional exercise that provided Him some information about The Father. Intercession was personal, and private conversation with The Father. When Jesus prayed, He expected to be heard. He expected The Father to respond, and His disciples to receive answers to His prayers, on their behalf.

Intercession is not about changing the will of The Father. It is more about preparing the ears of disciples to hear and softening their hearts to receive the will of The Father.

Jesus knew exactly who He was. When He questioned His disciples, He was not looking for information from them. He was expecting the results of His intercession for them.

“He questioned them saying, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ ”

Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” (v. 20) Jesus followed this response with a warning, “not to tell this to anyone.” (v. 21)

One right answer does not guarantee a believer will be right about everything. Jesus prayed, and Peter heard from God, once. Peter received Who Jesus was, but he would have a harder time grasping where Jesus went, The Cross. Still, Jesus prayed for Him, until Peter’s mind was clear, and his faith restored.

Jesus is still praying for His followers to hear from The Father, and to yield to His will and receive His direction, protection and correction. Jesus is never more WITH His disciples than when He is ALONE with The Father. For the followers of Jesus, believing prayer involves listening to and obeying The Father, not listing requests and instructing The Father. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Mountain II

Ø “And after He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.” Matthew 14:23

Ø “After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.” Mark 6:46

Ø So Jesus…withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.” John 6:15

Lessons taught by Jesus in The School of Prayer are not so much learned in the classroom, as they are caught in the middle of a crisis. The School of Prayer is a war college where prayer warriors learn to lean on The Master, by observing how He responded to the chaos and confusion around Him.

Panic focuses on the disaster, while prayer turns the eyes of a fearful prayer warrior towards Jesus. The Master of all creation is also The Master of Disaster, real or imagined.

Jesus extended an invitation to His disciples with a simple, yet profound statement, “Follow Me.”  He offered His company, to those seeking God’s direction, protection and correction. They were given an opportunity to leave what seemed hugely urgent to them, and walk beside Him and learn what was the most important lesson in life, “Lord, teach us to pray.”

Prayerful people take hold of what The Father has for His children, by letting go of what is already in their hands. Holding on to what looks like a security blanket can become a dangerous liability to a life of faith.  Prayer releases false security and increases genuine faith.

In the middle of a successful ministry, Jesus withdrew from the clamor of the crowds, crying out to make Him king. He also left those closest to Him, to get alone with God. This record of the prayer life of Jesus indicates that He sought The Father in the evening, as well as in the morning.

Jesus not only longed for intimate communication with His Father in the early morning hours, and during intense, all night sessions on The Mountain. He was also drawn away from others and towards The Father, to pray at the close of the day.

For those who put high priority on an early morning Quiet Time, it is worth noting that Jesus was not only a morning person, but he was also an evening person. Apparently, there was not a time of the day that was more sacred to Him than the other, when it came to getting alone with The Father in prayer.

Corporate worship is highly valued in the contemporary church, as well it should be.  From the earliest days of the church, believers were warned about the dangers of turning their backs on assembling together to worship God. When sheep separate themselves from the flock, they become prey for predators of all kinds, inside and outside of the church.

Note to self: You will either pray or you will be the prey.

Jesus placed a very high priority on getting away from the demands of the crowd, and praying with The Father, ALONE. He did not seek affirmation of His ministry from the crowd, but from The Father. He withdrew from those who wanted more from Him, and those who desired to be around Him. Through private, personal prayer, He sought the company of The One who had called Him, not those who wanted to use or abuse Him.

Private prayer is powerful because it separates prayer warriors from the sound of the battle, and draws them nearer to The Presence of The Champion. Prayer purifies motives. It also prepares people for more effective ministry. When the applause of the crowd becomes more important than the pause to pray, the time has come for motives in ministry to be purified.

Jesus refused to be tempted by the siren call of celebrity. He withdrew from the limelight of success, and stepped into the fading light of the day to get alone with The Father. His followers would be wise to follow His lead, morning, noon and night.   

Preaching to the crowd, without hearing from God may draw a crowd, but fail to deliver God’s message. Many who start out as faithful messengers, gradually stop speaking for God. While honing their communication skills, they start appeasing and appealing to the galleries. This never ends well.  

Success and failure are team efforts, but too many preachers take them personally. The applause of celebrity stalkers, and the verbal abuse of critics can each drown out the voice of The Father. Anything that makes a preacher place too high, or too low a value on his ministry should be taken to The Father in prayer. This is best done as soon as the applause dies down, or the preacher’s blood pressure goes up. You make the call.

Jesus let go of the crowds and left His disciples behind, to get alone with The Father to pray. His purity was a reflection of His humility. Though He was God, The Son humbled Himself before The Father, and yielded His will to pray and to receive God’s direction, protection and correction.

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5ff KJV

Prayerless people do not have a heart for prayer, because they have lost their minds. The sound of the applause of a great crowd, or the abuse of a single critic can drown out the voice of The Spirit. Prayer warriors Follow Jesus, and get alone with The Father. Private, personal prayer increases the sound of the still, small voice of His Spirit saying, “Can you hear Me now?” TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!