The Lure

“Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted. ‘I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.” James 1:12-14

When Dana and I completed seminary in 1978, we moved to beautiful Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. This city is located in the northeastern corner of the state, and situated in the gorgeous, lake-filled Green Country, east of the city of Tulsa. We loved the people there, and when our first child was born, they received her into their hearts. B.A. will always hold a special place in our hearts, and feel like home to us.

As we began our student ministry at the First Baptist Church, we discovered young people with a passion for bass fishing. In support of their pursuit of the perfect bass, a huge industry had developed, turning the sport of fishing into a serious business, and an amazing science. Our students would often gather to watch TV fishing shows. One of the local bass pros would wax eloquent with tips and pet phrases. When he hooked his latest catch, he would shout, “Whoah! Son!”  He was so serious about his pursuit of fish, that he turned the swimming pool in his backyard into a bass tank. Can you say cement pond?

Dana and I would often walk over the fields outside of town, with some of our more aggressive young fishermen searching for the next best fishing hole. As housing develops began to gobble up the countryside, there were small, bass filled ponds that developers would soon pave over with houses and streets. We were racing dozers and catching bass, as fast as we could.

One of my favorite memories includes watching Dana casting into one of these ponds, and resting her fishing rod on her stomach, while Ashley was still in her tummy. She always looked so cute, and to be honest, she caught more fish than I did.

One of the topics of conversation on these walks to the fishing hole would be the choice of lures. These were intense arguments about the latest and greatest creation. They had the most exotic names, but the life expectancy of a fruit fly. As soon as one lure would be advertised on the fishing shows on TV, another one would take its place. Apparently scientists were always striving to get into the brain of a bass, and read its mind. The lure was the key to landing the perfect catch, and the best minds of the nation were always working on the next one.

James warns us that the relentless enemy has always used lures, and still drags them in front of your eyes to get inside your mind. Don’t be too proud to pray for The Father’s discernment to avoid becoming “The Catch of The Day.”

Persevering under trial is only possible with persevering prayer. It is the key to discerning the difference between the truth of God, and the lure from the enemy. When you are prayerful, you are not blessed by the trial, but you are blessed in it by the companionship of Jesus. Pray your way through each trial, and let Jesus guide you away from any temptation. Don’t bite on lures that will bite you back, and carry you away.

Lures are meant to entice you into biting on the enemy’s next best lie.  The enemy doesn’t always try to scare you with the worst thing that can happen to you. Sometimes, he drags a trial in front of you, like a lure to distract you with what looks good in your eyes. In doing so he turns you away from what is best in God’s eyes.

Note to Self: Persevering prayer will remind you that the enemy seeks to steal, kill and destroy God’s best for your life. The evil one sometimes lures you, by presenting you with what is good. His desire is to lure you away from God’s best. Don’t settle for a good idea, when God’s idea is best for your life. The enemy presents the lure. The Father blesses you with His Presence. The blessing of His Presence is just a prayer away. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Result

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing. “

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.  For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:2-8

You’ve got to be kidding me! Trials and testing are an integral part of The Father’s process for perfecting faith in my life. The result of His process is meant to complete me, not to defeat me. Good to know.

“It can’t get much worse than this.” These may be the most foolish words in human language. Of course “IT” can. Saying them in the face of a trial or a test is like spitting into the wind of a wild hurricane. “IT” usually comes back to hit you in the face.

When Dana was diagnosed with breast cancer, the words hit our hearts with all the force of a sledgehammer. I was a mess, but she was resolute. Her first words were, “I am just going to have to fight it.” I, on the other hand, couldn’t figure out how to get out of the parking lot. I was in some form of shock. Though physically whole, my bell had been rung mentally and emotionally. Trials and tests come in all kinds of packages, and are rarely the same for everyone.

For six years the trials and tests that we have faced in her fight with breast cancer have come and gone. I have not faced all of them with joy. Dana, on the other hand, has found the grace to call this experience, her “Great Adventure.” Faith produces endurance, indeed.

We have endured tests and trials that we never thought possible, or probable. To be honest, at times they didn’t seem necessary. They arrived on our doorstep as unwanted intrusions, and they were wrapped in a good deal of confusion. Prayer became more than an occasional devotional exercise for us. It became our life’s breath. It was essential, and we did it early and often, throughout the day, and into the night.

Still, in spite of prayer, my lack of joy, when faced by these trials and testing, revealed an unsettling foolishness in my heart. My lack of joy was based on the lack of wisdom on my part, not the lack of love on The Father’s part. When “IT” hit the fan, I gritted my teeth for the endurance I needed for the furnace, but I often missed the cool breath of His Spirit to calm my heart in the middle of it.

Joy is the by-product of endurance. In the face of trials and testing, The Father’s children need not run around in panic as abandoned orphans. They are free to run t The Father in prayer, and receive from Him calm and confident assurance that in spite of appearances, all is well.

 Prayer has the capacity to gradually generate a calm assurance, and over-riding confidence in The Father’s love. Testing and trials tempt me to sense the absence of The Father’s love. This temptation is intensified by the relentless intimidation of immediate circumstances.  Prayer restores my faith in the presence of The Father’s love, and removes my fear of the absence of it.

Doubting The Father’s love, and the expecting His provision define “a double-minded man.” Only a fool would resist the process of The Father’s perfection, and still demand His provision.  When I am prayerless, I am faithless. When I am prayerful, I am faithful. Prayerlessness is an act of foolishness. Prayerfulness is a hurting child’s search for wisdom.

Prayer has the capacity to turn a fool into a wise man. Your turn around begins when you turn your eyes towards The Father and turn away from your failure. Admit your lack of joy over the process, and your raging doubt about The Father’s provision.

The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right name. Your anger and doubt harbored in your heart towards The Father often comes disguised in more politically correct garments of disappointment, and discouragement. Underneath the fake rags there is genuine rage. Admit it. Let go of it. Don’t harbor it.

Failing necessary tests, pouting over trials and doubting The Father’s love are not signs of a student who is making progress in The School of Prayer. Fools can expect to be kept after school. Completing the course involves kicking foolishness to the back of the class, and moving to the front row to find wisdom in The Father’s direction, protection and correction.

The One

“In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. “  Hebrews 5:7

Ø The Prayers: Jesus offered His prayers to The Father out of respect for Him, and deference to Him. The Son gave honor where honor was due.  At the very heart of prayer is a reverence and a respect for The Father.

Prayerless, rebellious children have no respect for The Father, so they offer Him no prayer. Before prayerlessness can be turned into prayerfulness, it must be called by its right name, and recognized for what it is. It is a lack of respect for The Father, and it is rebellion from His direction, protection and correction.

Jesus was no rebel. He was a revolutionary in the sense that He turned people around. His life revolved around prayer to The Father. His followers turn their faces to The Father in prayer, in the name of The Son. Prayerlessness is a sign of rebellion and disrespect for The One the followers of Jesus worship.

Note to self: Start your own revolution. Turn around and face The Father. Stop running from Him. Start praying to Him, in the name of Jesus. Anything less is rebellion. No matter how busy you are, or how successful your prayerless efforts are in the eyes of others, your best efforts are nothing but rebellion in the eyes of The Father.

Ø The Supplications:  Believing prayer is heard and answered. The essence of supplication is the supplying of what is needed to meet an expressed need. When Jesus made supplications to The Father, He expected to be heard and supplied. His followers should expect no less. When they pray in His name, and yield to the will of The Father, their prayers will be filled with expectancy.

Ø The Crying: Prayer expressed by loud crying is an explosion of passion that cannot be contained in a whispered request. Jesus prayed, knowing He was heard by The Father, and without worrying if He was overheard by others.  Children cry until a parent responds to their need, and sometimes they keep crying even after their need is met. Crying out to The Father was not unusual for Jesus. It should be a birthmark on those who follow Him.

Ø The Tears: Jesus prayed with tears flowing from His eyes, not just with requests pouring out of His mouth. His prayers were in touch with His heart, and His heart longed for a touch from The Father.

Ø The One: The Father was The One who could save The Son from death. Death by crucifixion was an execution, designed to be painful, and last a long time. It was cruel and unusual, but it was not punishment, used to teach the victim a lesson. It was not an education. It was annihilation.  

The Son did not fear death by crucifixion. He abhorred the thought of The Cross as separation. The Father would turn His face from The Son. Death on The Cross meant the end of a relationship between The Father and The Son that had never been broken. Sin would break it. Only The Father could heal it, and make it whole again.  Jesus prayed with passion for it.

Ø The Hearing:  The Father hears the prayers of Jesus. His prayers of intercession go directly to The One who is able to save Him and others. The prayers of Jesus go to The One source of strength and salvation, The Father.

Believing prayer is not wishing for something to be true, and wondering if it is. Believing prayer gains a hearing in The Presence of The Father, in the name of The Son. Believing prayer not only seeks to have a hearing in The Presence of The Father, in the name of The Son. Believing prayer waits, and listens to the voice of His Spirit for His answer, no matter how long it takes or whatever it may be.

Ø The Piety: Jesus is heard because He is right in the eyes of The Father. The piety of The Son is expressed by His reverence and obedience to the will of The Father.  Piety describes the character and the conduct of a person who has a respect and reverence for God.

Rather than rushing in where angel’s fear to tread, Jesus always got His marching orders from His Father. Fools rush in, but Jesus was no fool. His cautious and circumspect behavior, expressed by respectful prayer, was not a result of His fear of man, but His fear of God.

Prayeress people may appear fearless, but they are foolish children racing ahead of The Father. Breathing their own ether, and reading their own press clippings, they make a name for themselves, but often bring shame upon the name of The Father.

Prayerful people are not pious because they are perfect, but because they know their own limitations. They come to The One, The Father, in the name of The Son, to receive His Spirit’s direction, protection and correction. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Intercessor

“Yet, He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors.” Isaiah 52:12

Jesus is The Intercessor. He lives to bring people to The Father.  His death on The Cross expressed His intercessory mission on earth. Seated at the right hand of The Father He continues His ministry of intercession, in Heaven. Jesus, both saves and strengthens believers, as The Intercessor.

“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

Jesus, The Risen Christ lives to make intercession for those who draw near to God, in His name.  Prayer opens the door to an audience with The Father. The prayerful are child-like, seeking His direction, protection and correction, early and often. The prayerless are childish and rebellious, hiding from the face of The Father, fearing His assessment of their behavior. They rob themselves of both, the privilege of His Presence and the joy of His forgiveness.

“But Jesus, on the other hand, continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore, He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:24-25

Jesus prayed to The Father, through every tear, every trial and every triumph. He refused to allow anything or anyone to turn Him into a rebellious child or rob Him of the privilege of coming into The Fathers’ Presence. Jesus prayed and obeyed. His followers should do no less.

Prayerlessness is the spirit of independence, released from the heart of a rebel. Prayerfulness is the spirit of repentance and expresses the spirit of dependence. The obedient child of The Father, prays and obeys.

Jesus lives to make it possible for His followers to draw near to The Father, as obedient children. The followers of Jesus Christ should not be surprised that the path to The Father is paved with the same stones, and stumbling blocks that Jesus encountered.

Ordinary and extraordinary obstacles have a way of getting in the face of the prayerful. Obedient prayer warriors follow The Intercessor’s lead, and allow His Spirit to guide them to the face of The Father, even when after they fall on their faces.

Note to Self: Prayerless rebellion generated by the tears and trials of life leaves you vulnerable to an attack of the enemy. Take every tear and trial to Jesus, immediately. Let Him make sense out of it.  Prayerlessness can also be generated after a triumph. Celebrate every victory, but prayerlessness will make you a victim of victory. Prayerfully place every triumph in the hands of Jesus, and avoid the slightest, prideful, prayerless detour from The Father’s Presence.

Perhaps one of the most powerful statements about the life of  Jesus found in Scripture is, “He learned obedience from the things that He suffered.”

Jesus, The Intercessor learned to bring His tears, trials and triumphs to The Father. His death on The Cross was not a result of unanswered prayers. His death was both intercession and an answer to His prayers.

Prayer warriors should expect to encounter the same kind of learning curve that Jesus faced when they enroll in The School of Prayer. Prayer is learned behavior. Those who rebel against the lessons of prayer will find they have to stay after school, until they have learned them.

 “In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things that He suffered.” Hebrews 5:7-8

There is simply no substitute for personal, prolonged, persistent, private, personal prayer. Jesus did it while He ministered on earth. He continues His unique ministry of intercession in Heaven.

Prayerlessness is an expression of rebellion. Prayerfulness is an expression of repentance. Both break the heart of The Father.  Wise children pray and obey the will of The Father.

Jesus invited His first disciples with the words, “Follow Me.” Jesus, The Intercessor, still does. Through every tear, every trial and every triumph…TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Gap

“My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?”  - Jesus // Matthew 27:46, Mark 17:24

“Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” - Jesus // Luke 23:46

Standing in The Gap between two opposing forces is the very definition of intercession. When Jesus took His place upon The Cross, He experienced separation from His Father, and expressed desperation for a reunion with Him. Personal sin should bring about the same conditions in His followers.

Jesus prayed, and saturated Himself in private, personal companionship with His Father. His prayerful preparation in The Garden ended in the yielding of His will to His Father’s will, come what may. He prepared Himself to be poured out as a sacrifice on The Cross on behalf of others.  Jesus did not fear His crucifixion on a physical level, as much as He abhorred the idea of spiritual separation from His Father.

These two verses of Scripture contain the prayers of Jesus on The Cross that reveal the wide range of emotions that tore at His heart and soul. He experienced His initial separation from The Father, and expressed His desperation to be received by The Father.

Sin separates the sinner from intimacy from The Father. When children sense their behavior brings pleasure to their earthly parents, they often cry out, “Daddy! Mommy! Watch me!” Child-like behavior pleases parents, but childish behavior brings no pleasure to them.

When children know their behavior is not pleasing to their parents, they hide. They fear their errant behavior might result in a rebuke from the one’s they love. Childishly, they turn their faces away from the gaze of the very ones they once sought to please. This only happens…EVERY TIME!

Note to Self: Prayerlessness should be a flashing light on your dashboard, reminding you that you have lost your way home, and that you are in need of a family reunion, with The Father.

Separation must be followed by desperation Separation is the consequence of sin. Desperation is the cure to it.  Jesus was in the right place at the right time. The Cross did not feel right. It was right. Big difference. Feelings, like appearances, can be deceiving. Prayer brought Jesus to The Cross. Prayer brought Him through it. It will do the same for His followers.

The anguished words of Jesus expressed His genuine revulsion at being separated from His Father. Though He was not being punished for His own sin, He was being sacrificed to remove its consequences from others. The Father cannot have fellowship with sinful people who have strayed from His direction, protection and correction. Sin must be forgiven, by The Father before there is a reunion with Him. Jesus stood in The Gap, and prepared the way to remove the separation caused by sin.

At the very heart of sin is a spirit of rebellion resisting the will of The Father. Prayerless people do not want to face up to their own sin, so they turn their faces away from The Father. They believe if they avoid eye contact with The Father, they can postpone the reckoning they deserve. In doing so, they miss the reunion they need.

Jesus died on The Cross to deal with the consequences of sin. When He sensed His first initial separation from The Father, it tore at His heart. He was desperate for restoration, and reconciliation. His followers are marked by the same response to their own sin. Anything less than genuine revulsion with personal sin, only postpones the reunion, and continues the separation.

Separated sinners believe the whispering lies of the enemy who warns them that they would be fools to bring their sin before the eyes of The Father. Childishly, they try to hide it from Him. Jesus died on The Cross to clear the path to forgiveness. The Father seeks to forgive child-like sinners, “poor in spirit” enough, and desperate enough to be right with Him.

Jesus took sin, that was not His own, and put it where it belonged, on The Cross. Those who identify with His death on The Cross find themselves in the right place to receive forgiveness from The Father. Those who seek to hide or excuse their sin remain separated from Him.

Prayerful people are not perfect, just forgiven children. Child-like praying resists separation from The Father, not a reunion with Him. Prayer unleashes their desperation for a reunion with Him.

Bringing your sin to The Father, in the name of Jesus, removes your separation and turns your desperation into a family reunion.  Jesus filled The Gap on The Cross for His followers to turn to The Father, and pray to Him. Prayer turns your desperation into restoration with The Father. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Unforgiven

“Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34

Nothing expresses the prayer life of Jesus more succinctly and accurately than this passage of Scripture. Within the space of a dozen words, Jesus called out to The Father, not for vengeance upon His executioners, but for the forgiveness of them.  What a Savior.

This statement is amazing, but it should not be surprising. In the Constitution of The Kingdom, outlined in The Sermon on The Mount, Jesus had said to His followers, “Pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44) It is easier to say it, than to pray it. Can I get a witness?

Note to Self: Being called upon to pray for people who have done their best to do their worst to you, holds a not so hidden warning for you. People who need to be forgiven by you have wronged you. You are not mistaken. You are not being judgmental or paranoid. There are people in the world who have hurt you, and they intend to hurt you some more. Pray for them anyway. When you let go of the offense. They are not getting away with it. You have just transferred their case to another court.

To forgive someone is sometimes described as letting go of an offense immediately, rather than holding onto it for eternity. Those who have difficulty with the concept of forgiveness are often held up on the apparent injustice of letting someone get away with something that they did wrong. Letting go of an offense is not a matter of letting someone get away with an offense. It is the transferring of the offense and the offender over to another judge’s jurisdiction.

Forgiveness is so much more than just letting go. Jesus prayed to The Father, and interceded for the forgiveness of His offenders. He pleaded for them, and left them in His Father’s hands. Then He went to The Cross and died for them. His intercession for His enemies led to His crucifixion. Letting go of His case against His executioners led Jesus to take up His cross, on their behalf. His followers will do the same for their enemies.

Forgiveness involves letting go of the offense, by interceding for the offender. Praying for those who have wronged us is more than a pious devotional exercise. It involves developing a well-worn path to The Cross, and a daily dying to one’s own personal rights and preferences.

Forgiveness is a powerful concept, but it does not become a life-changing experience until it has been delivered to those who need it the most. Conceiving of the idea of forgiveness is a poor substitute for placing it as a gift in the hands of an enemy.  Jesus did not expect forgiveness to be delivered, from the hands and hearts of prayerless disciples. The unforgiven need forgiveness the most, but will never receive it from the prayerless.

Expecting forgiveness to be delivered from prayerless people is like expecting sweet fruit from a rootless tree. The fruit of forgiveness doesn’t fall far from the root of the tree grounded in love.

“You have heard that is was said, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’ “ Matthew 5:43-44

Jesus taught differently than the respected rabbis of His day. They fell back on the oral tradition that was grounded in The Law. Jesus played against their tendency to trust tradition and miss the truth. He stated over and over again to the people, “You have heard”…”But I say to you.” There was a new sheriff in town, and Jesus was not only going to uphold The Law. He was going to fulfill it. “Jesus Paid it All,” indeed.

Jesus prayed, during the chaos and confusion of the crucifixion, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”  His powerful words, pouring out from His hurting heart, to The Father, on behalf of those intent upon hurting Him remain the industry standard for Christian compassion.  Thank you, Jesus.

English jurisprudence holds, “Ignorance of the law is no defense.” Jesus did not excuse or explain away the ignorance of those who were intent on killing Him. He interceded for His killers, in spite of their ignorance. Jesus didn’t use their ignorance as a fine point of His case against them in the court of law. He prayed for His killers in The Father’s court of love, let them go, and left their fate in His Father’s hands. Then He gave His life to take their place on The Cross for their sins.  

Praying for those who persecute them identifies a follower of Jesus with The Cross, and the prayer life of Jesus. Prayer conformed the will of Jesus to the will of The Father. His followers must not settle for anything less, and can offer their enemies nothing more.

Pray for your enemies to fall into the hands of The Father. Dying to self keeps you from taking it on yourself to punish your enemies for what they have done to you. When you let go of their offense, your enemies are not getting away with anything. You are leaving them in The Father’s hands to receive His direction, and correction.

Don’t panic in the face of persecution. Pray for people who are the source of it, when you are the recipient of it.  Praying for them, in the name of Jesus, will see you through it, and develop you into a conduit for The Father’s love to The Unforgiven. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE! 

The Supper

“While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body.’ And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you.“ Matthew 26:26-27

(Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 11:24-25)

One of the more important, and perhaps one of the most under-rated words in the Bible may be repeated expression, translated as, “while.” It appears things are not always what they seem to be in The Kingdom. While an event may be scheduled, and Jesus chooses to be present, He often has an entirely different agenda in mind for the occasion.

Note to self: The Cross looked like it was the worst thing that could happen. It wasn’t. Never forget this. Looks can be deceiving. “While” you are in it, don’t panic at the sight of it. Run to Jesus and pray your way through it.

“While” insane crises surged into His life, or mundane circumstances siphon strength out of His life, Jesus prayed and stayed in touch with The Father. By praying in His Spirit, Jesus empowers His followers to replace fear with faith, and make sense out of the senseless.

The prayerless miss Jesus “while” trying to keep their head above water through tumultuous times. The prayerful find fresh meaning in life, even when time stands still. They refuse to just go through the motions. They discover fresh faith, and prayer fueled expectancy, with every breath of prayer.  

“While” The Twelve gathered to share the traditional feast of The Passover with Jesus, He gave it a whole new meaning to them.  At the close of The Supper, Jesus had a few final words for them. After all is said and done, what really matters in life is what Jesus says and does, after we have done all we can do.

 “While” is that side of life that appears to be the worst thing that can happen. Prayer takes the time to bring the infuriating, and the uninspiring seasons of life to The Father, in the name of The Son. Through prayer, fearful and faithless eyes can become adjusted to the dark, and see what The Father had in mind all along the way.

“While” takes place in the furnaces or on the shelves of life. Prayerful people refuse to be prideful. They give The Spirit elbow-room in their lives, and seek The Father’s direction. They humbly seek His protection in the furnace or His correction on the shelf. Through prayer, their prideful will is yielded to The Father’s will.

Prayer has a way of clearing away the fog of war and allowing a prayer warrior to see the battle is won, and their lives are in the hand of The Father. From a prayerless perspective, people panic in the furnace or put down roots on the shelf. They begin to believe the end has come, when the best is yet to come.

Even prayerful people can become victims of their past successes and answered prayers. They grow comfortable on the shelf, succumbing to the lie of the evil one, “It just doesn’t get any better than this.” Prayer brings The Father’s children into His arms, in the name of The Son, and He raises them above their own perspective to reveals His own view.

“While they were eating,” Jesus was preparing Himself to share with His disciples, that the best is yet to come. It still is. Thank you, Jesus.

Some of The Father’s greatest gifts to His children are wrapped up in the scariest packaging, and tied up with a thorny bow. Prayerful children receive The Father’s perspective and follow His directive “while” they are in the furnace or on the shelf. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Point

“I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me, through their word; that they all be one, even as You Father are in Me and I’m in You, that they may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.”  John 17:20-21

The Point of The Prayer of Jesus is for believers in Him, then and now, to “all be one.” There is a difference between closeness and oneness. The dilemma of many people, posing as believers, is that they are so close, but yet so far away. There is little hope found in the proverbial statement, “Close but no cigar.”

The union of a cat and a dog can take place by tying their tails together. This form of closeness occurs by the union of bodies, without any oneness of heart. Jesus did not pray for union among disagreeing disciples, but for oneness. He prayed, “even as You Father are in Me, and I’m in You.”

“Single-hearted” was the logo of a Single Adult ministry Dana and I conducted in Houston, Texas in the early 1980’s.  Our mission was to develop servants in the local church marked by “sincerity and unity of purpose.”  Many of them accepted the challenge, to raise their purpose in life above the fulfillment of their own personal preferences, and found great joy in being one with The Father and with other believers.

The local church still remains the best lab for developing the kind of oneness that is produced by Spirit-filled believers. Paul described the vital sign of oneness, as fullness of The Spirit and marked by mutual submission between believers.

“And be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” Ephesians 5:21

Lone Ranger Christianity may succeed in removing oneself from the company of the cantankerous. There is great relief in escaping the irritation that comes from the constant chafing of being in close quarters with calloused Christians.

Still, Jesus prayed for His disciples to have a oneness in Him, and in The Father. This kind of oneness was meant to create compassion in the heart of each believer, and improve the capacity of The Body of believers to coordinate and cooperate with one another.

“It is easy to be an angel as long as no one ruffles your feathers.” Author Unknown

The U.S. Army once called upon potential recruits to sign up and be “The Army of One.” Jesus prayed then, and intercedes now for His disciples to become “The Army of Oneness.” Big difference.

John’s Gospel reveals that Jesus prayed for His disciples and for those who believed in their word, “that they also may be in Us.” Words mean things. Believing words about Jesus, and being in Jesus are two different things.

Talking about marriage and being married are not the same thing. One of the earliest pieces of marriage advice I recall is the statement, “You will have to be married to realize how selfish you really are.” Though I didn’t believe it then, truer words were never spoken. But I digress.

Marriage remains the best field for producing the fruit of oneness Jesus prayed for His disciple to have in Him and in The Father. It is described as a “one-flesh relationship.” This does not refer merely to occasional sexual union. It describes the perpetual and mutual submission produced by the fullness of The Spirit. “Be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.”

Believing in Jesus leads to being in The Father. Anything less than this kind of personal intimacy is not oneness. Personal preference, and claiming rights are out of bounds for those who are “in Us.”

When an individual athlete is in The Zone, it describes that rare moment when personal talent and diligent training come together in the arena of competition, and are revealed for all to see. As beautiful as this is, it is nothing compared to the sight of a team of individuals merging into a coordinated body, and cooperating together to achieve a common goal.

As coaches often say, “There is no ‘I’ in TEAM.” There is also no “I” in PRAY. When Jesus prayed for His disciples, and when He prays for them now, He invites them to join His team, not to be a star of their own.

The Oneness Jesus describes between Himself and His Father is offered to His disciples. Jesus found it in praying to The Father. His disciples should not expect to find it any other way.

In prayer, Jesus met with The Father, early in the day, throughout the day, and at times all night long, to conform His will to The Father’s will.  He prayed long enough to be in Him, not just to be with Him. Believers in Jesus will pray until they are in The Father, single-hearted, marked by sincerity and the unity of His purpose.  TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Truth

“Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes, I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified in truth. I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one, even as You, Father are in Me, and I am in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.” John 17:17-21

Jesus prayed that His disciples would be kept from the evil one, by being directed, protected, corrected and saturated with The Truth. The word “sanctify” describes a personal, perpetual process of consistent companionship with Jesus that allows His Spirit to exercise the freedom to convict the world of sin, and to conform believers to the image of their Savior and Lord.

Salvation is an event that can be marked on a calendar, and celebrated with great joy. Sanctification is The Process of dying to self. It begins with salvation, but it continues with every breath a believer takes, and with every word of truth a believer hears and obeys, from the word of God.

“Your walk with God is the next 20 seconds.” Anonymous

Note to self: What you do with your next breath determines the direction, protection and correction of your life.  Consider the importance of the prayer of Jesus. He places a very high priority upon the sanctification of His disciples, and those who would believe in Him through their word.

A walk with Jesus begins when disciples take their first step of obedience. These early disciples obeyed, when they heard Jesus say, “Follow Me.” As His words grew more difficult to hear, other followers left Jesus, but these men stayed and obeyed.

“As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, ‘You do not want to go away too do you?’ Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.’ “ John 6:66-68

Salvation takes place on the day believers identify personally with the death of Jesus on The Cross for their sin. Sanctification takes place as believers daily yield their way, admit their sin, and bend their will to The Yoke of Jesus. The old camp song says it all, “Wherever He leads, I’ll go.”  

Salvation and sanctification are inseparable expressions of a genuine relationship with Jesus. Those who claim to embrace Jesus as Savior, but have no passion to obey Him as Lord, are only posing for a “selfie.” They try to include Jesus as a once in a lifetime photo op, but they have no desire to walk with Him daily. They settle for being a poser with Jesus, without ever being a follower of Jesus. This is neither salvation or sanctification.

Salvation is the result of the first step of obedience, but sanctification is the result of daily steps of obedience. Jesus expected His disciples then and now to accept Him as their crucified Savior, and to allow His Spirit to transform them into sanctified followers of His Lordship. He prayed for no less.

Note to self: Don’t try to clean the fish before you catch them. The world is a polluted place, but that is where the fish are found. Catching precedes the cleaning of the fish. Cleaning never leads to catching fish. Trying to clean fish before you catch them only frustrates you and annoys the fish. Stop it.

Sanctify is rich in meaning, and carries the weight of many words to describe it clearly. It means to set apart, to make holy, to hallow, to dedicate, to consecrate, and to purify.  Anyone connected with God carries the stamp of His sacred character upon their inward souls and on their outward behavior. When it comes to the Fruit of The Spirit, the apple never falls far from the tree.

Jesus prayed for His disciples to be sanctified in the truth of God’s word. Praying and obeying the word of God will guide any believer away from the pollution of the world, and towards The Father’s solution for the world, His Son, Jesus Christ.

“I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father, except by Me.” Jesus – John 14:6

Self-gratification and self-glorification are the twin towers of self-satisfaction. Sanctification is marked by self-denial and absolute surrender to Holy God, and His Son’s Lordship. The citizens of The Kingdom take on the character of The King, by praying for Him to finish in The Yoke, what He began in them at The Cross. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

“Before we can pray, ‘Lord, Thy Kingdom come,’ we must be willing to pray, ‘My Kingdom go.’" Alan Redpath

The Manifest

“I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.” John 17:6

Captains of cargo ships carry The Manifest, a record detailing the freight being carried on board. Those who insure the ship require a clear documentation of the contents of the vessel. Those who unload the freight check The Manifest to determine if all the valuable cargo listed arrived safely to its port of destination.

Jesus prayed to The Father, and stated, “I have manifested Your name to the men You gave Me out of the world.” V. 17a

When Jesus manifested the name of God to the men of God, He revealed the contents of His character, and The Father as The Source of creation and the owner of all things.  He knew The Father had set aside the men who would become His disciples.

Prior to Jesus calling The Twelve, He spent all night in prayer, seeking His Father’s wisdom and will concerning the men He would call to join Him in ministry. Throughout His life on the earth, Jesus prayed for His disciples to stay the course.  Seated by The Father in Heaven, Jesus continues to intercede for His followers to do the same.

“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

The Men Jesus called to be His disciples shared at least six distinctive characteristics.

1.   They belonged to God. “They were Yours.” V. 6a
2.   They were gifts from God. “You gave them to Me.” V. 6b
3.   They kept God’s word. They have kept Your word.” V. 6c
4.   They knew God was The Source. “They have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You.” V. 7a
5.   They received instruction from Jesus. “Received the words You have given to Me.” V. 8a
6.   They trusted in Jesus. “Believed that You sent Me.” V. 8b

Jesus was not content with calling the men to come alongside of Him on the earth. He was intent upon interceding for them. He prayed for them to be holy, separated from the world, while remaining in the world.

“I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.” V. 9

“And all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and

I have been glorified in them.” v. 10

Jesus is The Intercessor. He has always prayed for His disciples, but now His prayers are even more intimate and intense, as He is seated at the right hand of The Father.  

Ø “I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You.” V. 11a

Ø “For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into Heaven itself, now to appear on the presence of God for us.” Hebrews 9:24

Changing the name on “The Titanic” would not have saved it from sinking. The name of this infamous ship reflected the pride and arrogance of the owners.  When those responsible for guiding the ship became more intent on gaining speed than arriving safely at their destination, disaster struck in the form of an iceberg. Those who claim the name of Christ, but rebel against His authority over their lives, may increase their intensity for the work of The Lord, but they will never know intimacy with The Lord of the work.

Jesus prayed that His disciples would keep themselves close to The Father’s name. This required them to remain faithful children, bringing honor and glory to Him by their unity.

“Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. “ John 17:11b

The Father is not honored by disunity. When His children fight among themselves, they invite His correction, and discipline. Jesus, The Intercessor, prayed then and He intercedes now for His disciples to be marked by unity, not enmity.

Jesus prayed then and intercedes now, to manifest The Father’s name, in the lives of His disciples. By drawing His disciples closer to Himself, He releases The Father’s love through them. Being filled with The Spirit of Jesus, releases the love of The Father, through the lives of Christ followers.

When Jesus manifested The Father’s name, He revealed and released His Father’s love through His disciples.The Father’s love flows through His children, when they are filled with The Spirit. Prayer warriors who bear The Father’s name are not only recipients of His love in the world; they are reflectors of it, to the world. They manifest the content of His character in their lives when they pray more for others than they do for themselves. Jesus manifested The Father's name, and interceded for His children. His disciples will do the same. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!