The Beginning

“Then men began to call upon the name of The Lord.” Genesis 4:26

Though hardly the first time men communicated with God, this passage of Scripture is often pointed out as the first time the act of prayer is recorded in the Bible. The Beginning of prayer in your life is the genesis of true communication.

“Prayer is the intimate communication between the Heavenly Father and His child.” Don Miller

When you begin to call upon the name of the Lord, it reveals a profound awareness of your need for God’s direction, protection and protection. An honest evaluation and clear recognition of your own limitations are the twin towers of wisdom and the beginning of prayer.

Prayerlessness is sin, and the prideful are prayerless. Taking pride in prayerlessness is childishness. A child rejects the aid of parent’s guiding hand with the petulant protest, “I do it myself.” You are called to be child-like, not childish. Big difference. Learn to recognize it and move on to maturity

Pride and praylessness are not fine wines that age well. They are a cancer that eats away at your soul until there is nothing left. Prayer cuts out pride and restores humility, and humility leads to healing.

“My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

Being full of yourself leads to taking your own advice, and it never ends well. From Genesis to Revelation the story of pride preceding poor choices and catastrophic consequences for individuals and nations is told over and over again.  Before you become a sermon illustration, or your nation becomes a footnote in history, show some humility. Surf’s up! Start praying.

“People have turned the tide of history because they prayed.” Billy Graham

This passage of Scripture indicates that a time came when men began to think more highly of God than they did of themselves. They feared ignoring the Lord more than calling out to Him. Genuine prayer is the cry of a needy child calling out to The Father and the whisper of a submitted servant yielding to his Lord.   

For centuries the Jews wove the name of Jehovah into the names of their children, as a daily reminder of His Presence. Believing prayer achieves the same thing. When parents guide their children into the practice of prayer, their children learn to practice His Presence.  When you call out His name in prayer, you find Him there.

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” James 4:8

This practice of weaving God’s name into the names of their children must have been a powerful reminder to Jewish parents that a child was a gift from God, even when they were calling out their child’s name in frustration. For a child it must have been a constant reminder that wherever they went, God was there. They could never escape His Presence.

Calling upon the name of The Lord in prayer is the beginning of wisdom. When you fail to do it, you learn from painful, personal experience that mixing prayerlessness and pridefulness produces a poisonous potion. Read the warning labels.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.” Proverbs 16:18

NOTE TO SELF: You are prideful when you persist in ignoring the warning labels. Don’t drink the Kool-Aid of a culture bent on rebellion. Prayerfully embrace the warnings and receive the wisdom. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Response

“’Yes. I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22:20

Providing children with a clear perspective of time is one of the challenges parents face when leading their little ones through a transition from childish impatience to mature expectancy.  It should come as no surprise that it doesn’t happen over night.

When our children were small, and knew a big day was coming, they would wake up every day with the question, “Is today the day?” Dana hit upon the concept of teaching them to look forward to the big day by counting sleeps. She would lead them through a count down night after night by telling them how many sleeps they had left before the Big Day. It worked for them, and we kept our sanity. Try it. You’ll thank me.

Over 2,000 years ago John heard the promise of Jesus. Many sleeps later the children of God still wake up with a child-like expectancy wondering if today could be The Day. What appears to be a delay does not diminish the promise. It only increases its value and intensifies the level of our expectancy.

The last promise of Jesus recorded in the Bible is followed by the last prayer of the Bible. Promises and prayers are as closely related as life is to a breath of fresh air.

Separating a prayer from a promise does not breathe new life into either one. The one who prays has no reason to hope for an answer if there is no promise of one.  Jesus said He is coming. He is the original Promise Keeper. Count on it.

The only recorded prayer of The Spirit in the Bible is “Come.” (V. 17) Jesus promises He is coming quickly. (V. 22a). John’s immediate response was “Amen. Come, Lord, Jesus.” (V.22b)

John’s prayer expresses complete agreement and energized expectancy.  They are two powerful signs of a prayer life focused on yielding to the will of God.  

The Response of every individual and any corporate body of believers should express the same spirit as John’s simple prayer. When the coming of Jesus appears to be a disruption of your personal plans or your denominational calendar, then the promise of Jesus has been hijacked and held hostage by your personal plans and your corporate program. Stop it!

Prayer keeps the promise of Jesus alive by breathing new life into it. Prayer focuses on the will of God, in the name of Jesus. In lifting up the name of Jesus, He realigns our hearts with God’s heart. His will becomes pre-eminent, and His desires become our desires. Anything less is public posturing, or a private delusion, but it is not prayer.

Recently I took part in a powerful prayer meeting in Louisiana. The sole purpose of this day of prayer and fasting for a nation in crisis was to call upon the name of Jesus, to seek The Father’s outpouring of His Spirit for the next Great Awakening. It began with individual prayers of repentance.

Over the next six hours prayers were intensified and purified under the magnifying glass of The Spirit of God.  Those who prayed or proclaimed a word were called upon to lift up only one name, the name of Jesus. They were asked to leave their egos and their logos at the door. There were no book tables, no t-shirt sales, and no concession stands. The focus was on Jesus. 

Every attempt was made to honor the name of Jesus and to lift Him up, and to avoid stealing His glory. All promotion of personal ministries, websites, or projects was discouraged. The vast majority of the participants complied. Two didn’t. It was noticeable.

Sensing the flinching of The Spirit when the name of Jesus is used for self-promotion is a huge breakthrough in prayer meetings of this kind. The leader gently rebuked the departure from the protocol of the event and all prayer and praise was redirected to Jesus. Thanks, Doug Stringer for your tender heart and the gracious way you honored the jealousy of The Spirit for the name of Jesus.

The Response: Louisiana was not an end of a journey. It was another baby step toward the kind of prayer movement that will prepare the way for the next Great Awakening.  This observation in no way dishonors the epic effort made by Steve Brown to coordinate this prayer meeting. Thanks, Steve.

The Response prayer meetings of the future will face intense opposition as they are planned, promoted and presented. The attacks will be from friend and foe.

There will be friendly fire from holier than thou types who cannot bear to pray with anyone who is not in 100% agreement with their perfect position. I have a word for them.

“Discernment is God’s call to intercession, never fault-finding.” Oswald Chambers

There will also be persistent protests from the radical rage-aholics who are not interested in framing an honest debate, but are totally driven by a desire to annihilate truth from the public square.  Let them come. “The Spirit and The Bride say, ‘Come.” We should have the same prayer on our lips that is in The Spirit’s heart. While protestors march on the grounds of The Response let us pray it will become holy ground for them.

To my visionary friend, David Lane, who has given his heart and soul to birth The Response prayer meetings, I have this brief word. Stay on the wall.  Nehemiah did & finished the task God gave him to do. Don’t be distracted. Thanks, David.

NOTE TO SELF: Great Awakenings should come with a WARNING LABEL: Rough road ahead. Don’t brake for protestors. Drive around them & TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Hallelujahs

“ ’Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; BECAUSE HIS JUDGMENTS ARE TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and HE HAS AVENGED THE BLOOD OF HIS BOND-SERVANTS ON HER.’  And a second time they said, ‘Hallelujah! HER SMOKE RISES UP FOREVER AND EVER.’ And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying ‘Amen. Hallelujah!’ And a voice came from the throne saying, ‘Give praise to our God, all you His bondservants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.’ Then I heard something like the voice of the great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord God, the Almighty reigns.’ “ Revelation 19:1-10

The Apostle John heard one majestic multitude shouting four hallelujahs with one voice. The sound rolled through the air of Heaven like soul-stirring thunder. One author described this passage as…

 “This graphic prayer of praise…the manifest vindication of the moral order, the indisputable triumph of the Kingdom of God.” Hebert Lockyer

Fifty years after the experience, I still recall the night my father took me to hear “Handel’s Messiah” being performed by a massive choir at the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. When they came to “The Hallelujah Chorus” everyone stood. It was a breath-taking moment for me, and I recall seeing tears stream down the face of my father. Hallelujah, indeed.

When I was in seminary, my professor friend and mentor, Dr. Curtis Vaughan made a statement in class that triggered my memory of that experience at FBC, Dallas.

“Hallelujah is the sweetest word in the English language, even if it is Hebrew.” Dr. Curtis Vaughan

These four hallelujahs in Heaven should inspire powerful hallelujahs on earth from the small and the great. In Heaven, prayer leads to praise. The same should be true on earth.

Hallelujah means “Praise The Lord.” It is not a magic phrase, a lucky charm or a password to serenity. Like breathing, prayer and praise are a way of life, in Heaven and on earth.

Where there is prayer, there should be praise. When your prayer focuses more on the crisis than The Christ, then praise evaporates from your soul, as panic surges into your heart.

NOTE TO SELF: Discovering the definition of praise should never turn into a dissection of it. Praise is not explained. It is experienced. The experience of praise is not found in the definition, but in the application. When you pray, you are practicing The Presence of Jesus. Consistent companionship with Jesus leads you to praise, not panic. Lean into His yoke and you discover God’s will. Let The Hallelujahs begin. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Song

“Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; for ALL THE NATIONS COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU, FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED.” Revelation 15:3-4

Answered prayer turns a cry of panic into a song of triumph. This only happens…EVERY TIME.  Great praise is the fruit of the slightest faith. Praise not produced by posing, but by praying, in the face of the enemy. The next time you come to the end of your rope, stop making rope, and race to take your stand next to The Champion, Jesus.

Before The Song of Moses was sung in Heaven, it was birthed in the heart of a leader facing his worst nightmare. Wedged between the charging Egyptian army, and the fleeing people of Israel, Moses took his stand, put on his best Charlton Heston face, and posed as the man with the plan. He didn’t have one.

After telling his people not to fear, Moses ran behind a rock and cried out to God in private, passionate and panicked prayer.  Caught in a vise between the expectations of his people and annihilation by the enemy, Moses modeled the greatest leadership principle in the world. He prayed. His words are not revealed, but the spirit of his prayer is on record. Don’t take my word for it.

“Why are you crying out to me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.” ~ God - Exodus 14:15

The rest, as they say, is history.  The Egyptian army drowned and the people of Israel were saved. This should come as no surprise. After all, history is a record of HIS story, and God loves a happy ending.  Read the last chapter. WE WIN!

“When Israel saw the great power which the Lord has used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord, and his servant Moses.” Exodus 14:31

Revelation reveals that The Song of Moses was co-written by The Lamb. He was there in the middle of the crisis by the sea. He was The Champion of the hour, not Moses. The song of praise Moses sang was a direct result of answered prayer. Genuine praise always is.  

“And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying…” Revelation 15:3

Praise reveals and exalts the character of God. The Song is filled with powerfully descriptive words that add color and depth to the canvas, painting a whole new portrait of the name of God. They cause insipid references like “The Man Upstairs” to appear as pale pastels in comparison. Before you refer to God as “The Good Lord” you might want to upgrade Him to Great!

“Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations!” Revelation 15:3  

NOTE TO SELF: Take every crisis you face on earth as an opportunity to glorify God in Heaven. Turn your panic into prayer, and The Champion will turn your prayer into praise. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Elders

“And the 24 elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying…” Revelation 11:16

In Heaven, The 24 Elders get off their thrones and fall on their faces to worship God. Worship in Heaven involves public prostration generated by humility and passionate prayer filled with gratitude. For church leaders who have the capacity to strut sitting down this should be a flashing light on their dashboard. But I digress.

“We give you thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because you have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.” Revelation 11:17

The attitude of gratitude is learned behavior. Any parent who has had to guide a child through the terrible twos and the testing threes knows this to be true from personal experience. Proud parents are soon humbled by a precious bundle of joy that did not come into this world equipped with the capacity to say thank you. After nine months of captivity they entered into their new environment fully focused on personal freedom, and daily survival. When their needs are not met they throw tantrums that test the love of the most compassionate parent.

The 24 Elders are composed of 12 who represent the redeemed of Israel and 12 who represent the New Testament church. Their worship is marked by a prayer of gratitude for God’s timely release of His wrath on evil and His reward for the saints. Their prayerful response to God sets the bar for all of us who need to mature in the expressing of thanks to God for all He has done for us.

Perhaps there is is nothing more poignant, and prophetic in The Elders’ prayer than the words, “and the time came.”  Before any great work of God there is always a time of waiting. Since God is eternal, accepting His timetable can be a frustrating experience. Children are always in a hurry to grow up. The Father wants them to mature. Big difference.

Prayerless people gaze at the clock and the calendar. Their joy is sapped by constantly trying to discern between what is truly important and what is merely urgent. Prayerful people eventually find peace in knowing God is never late, always on time, but seldom early. This lesson is not learned overnight.

The waiting room can become a tedious and tiresome experience for those who try to pass the time in polite conversation or reading old news magazines. Praying through the waiting has always been a learning curve for those who enter The School of Prayer. Those who have learned the lesson know that praying is part of the preparation for the gift The Father has in store for His children.

“Prayer is not trying to get God to do something He doesn’t want to do. Prayer is getting us to do what we don’t want to do. He intends to do His will through us, and in us. Prayer prepares us to be used, and to pray, ‘USE ME!’ “ - Dave Butts 

NOTE TO SELF: Take a page out of The Elders’ Prayer Book. When “the time came” they saw that their waiting was not in vain. They fell off their thrones and onto their faces in gratitude to God for The Lamb’s blood bought redemption of the saints and Almighty God’s recompense of evil. Isn’t it about time you grew up, and worshiped God in humility and gratitude? TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Multitudes

“A great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation to our God who sits on the throne and to The Lamb.’ ” Revelation 7:9-10

Heaven will be filled with prayer and praise. Those who picture it in any other way are looking at it from a world-view, but not with a biblical view.  Those who place no priority on prayer and praise on earth are unlikely to be genuine citizens of Heaven. Prayer and praise reveal the indelible seal of the Holy Spirit on a believer’s passport from this world to the next.

 “Prayer can move the Heavenly world.” Andrew Murray

John saw countless numbers of people from every nation who perished in The Tribulation. The inhabitants of Heaven have not entered into this holy place through a painless, bloodless passage. Salvation cost Jesus His life- blood. It will cost a believer death to self. In The Tribulation it will cost many people from every nation, their own lives.

There is no easy-believism or cheap grace available to bypass the price of redemption. No matter what some contemporary church conductor has to say about it, there are no discount fares available on this train.

Those who lay claim to God’s salvation have done so through the blood of the Lamb and death to self. God set the fare, Jesus paid the price, and He punches the ticket for all who enter Heaven. He is the guardian of the gate, not St. Peter.

“I am The Way, The Truth and The Life, no man comes to the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6

The Multitude of people John saw before the throne of God and before The Lamb cried out with one united voice and for one great purpose, to serve God. Those who have no joy in serving God on earth, and no passion for prayer and praise reveal they have no real sense of direction for Heaven.

“Prayer is a plan of God. It is an outworking of His sovereignty.

In His wisdom, God chose prayer and gave mankind a role to play to accomplish His purpose. Prayer is about Him, not us. His purposes, His will, not our preferences.” Dave Butts

“These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple.” Vs. 14-15

Those who pass through the Tribulation will pay a price in their own blood, but when they arrive before the throne of God they are overwhelmed with prayer and praise for one thing, the blood Jesus shed for them. The Lamb responds with the care and concern of a shepherd for his flock.  

“The Lamb will be their shepherd and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” V. 17b

NOTE TO SELF: The Scripture’s brief glimpse of Heaven gives you a world of insight, if you are willing to see it with the eyes of faith, through the lens of prayer. While you remain on earth, waiting for The Return of Jesus, remind yourself of this one thing. Heaven is not about you at all. Heaven is all about God.  While you remain on earth, may your persistent prayer be, “Not me, but Thee.”

The Martyrs

“How long, O Lord, holy and true, will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Rev. 6:10

The church of Jesus Christ has always faced opposition from those who seek to annihilate the message by murdering the messengers of The Truth. When the first martyr of the church faced death at the hands of Saul’s death squad, he cried out to Heaven. Martyrs still do. Heaven still hears.

Scripture records that the Glorified Lord, Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of The Father in Heaven, and lives to make intercession for the saints. It also reveals when Jesus heard Stephen’s voice proclaiming the truth in the face of his enemies, He stood in his honor.

“And being filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into Heaven, and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” Acts 7:55

The passion and the prayers of the martyrs may land on deafened ears on earth, but they are heard in Heaven. With martyrs for the faith once delivered to the saints increasing with every passing day, it is not too hard to believe that Jesus still hears and still stands in their honor.

The prayers of the martyrs continue to ascend to the ears of God, and cry out for justice. They did not take out revenge on earth, but they expect to be avenged by Heaven. They trusted God’s word on earth and pray with an expectation of their patience being honored in Heaven.

No one should ever assume that in the light of God’s love, His passion for justice has become diminished. He made a promise, and He intends to keep it. Payday is coming. The forces of evil will get everything that is coming to them. They have earned it.

“Vengeance is mine. I will repay.” Romans 12:19

The martyrs’ prayers are not only heard in Heaven. They are answered. They receive a white robe and are told to wait. Justice delayed is not justice denied. There is a time limit on evil and it is quickly reaching the point in history when God will say, “Enough.”

“They were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been has been would be completed also.” Rev. 6:11

The arrogance of evil always causes the forces of darkness to boast with pride that they have overcome The Light. Their pride causes them to overplay their hand, and to double down on a bad bet they cannot possibly win. This only happens… EVERY TIME.

Pride never leads to repentance. Pride like a self-destructive, heat-seeking missile collides with God’s vengeance. There is a reckoning day coming for evil, and for all of those who were willing instruments in the hands of an ancient enemy who exists only to shed the blood of the messengers of The Light.

NOTE TO SELF: Jesus stood for the first martyr of the church. It should not be too difficult an assignment for you to kneel on the behalf of the martyrs who are still dying for their faith. There will be more, but there is a limit. Their deaths may be treated as footnote on earth, but they appear as screaming headlines in Heaven. God is preparing an invasion army. Never seek revenge, but pray for vengeance. God intends to deliver it. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Incense

"When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before The Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." Revelation 5:3

One of the most amazing expressions of the unique Japanese culture is their use of gold to fill the cracks in priceless pottery. They refuse to let the priceless become worthless. When a piece of prized pottery is broken and appears beyond repair, they place it in the hands of the artisan to restore it by filling the broken places with gold. It is returned to them more valuable than ever. It is called "Kintsugi" and it means golden joinery.

In Heaven the prayers of the saints are collected in golden bowls filled with incense. I can't help but envision the prayers of people rising up to Heaven and allowing God to put all the pieces of their lives back together.

The Father receives the prayers of the saints in the name of His Son, Jesus. He takes their prayers to His heart and restores the broken places of their hearts by filling them with His peace. He places the prayers of the saints in the hands of His Son, The Lamb of God for safe-keeping.

"It is amazing what God can do with a broken heart when you give Him all the pieces." Samuel Chadwick (mentor of Leonard Ravenhill)

The prayers of the saints often arise to Heaven, billowing out broken hearts like great clouds of incense, accompanied by tears and fear. Prayers of thanksgiving and praise also ascend with glory to God for every triumph over each test and trial. Both expressions of prayer are priceless to The Father.

Great care was taken in Old Testament days to maintain the purity and the property of the incense that was offered up to God. Scripture places a very high value on incense, as a symbol of prayer. The ironic thing about incense is that the purity and the property of it is only released by going through the fire.

NOTE TO SELF: The Father intends to release the character of The Son in your life. You can expect a fire.

Prayer is not an optional devotional exercise offered to you. It reveals the content of your life. Prayer does not exempt you from every trial, and every test, but it is the key to every triumph. As you pray, come what may, through the fire of each and every one of these experiences, the incense of your life is released to Heaven. Remember the intent of incense. It is meant to be consumed.

Prayer may appear to be a fool's errand when everything around you doesn't make sense or it appears to be irrevocably consumed in a fight with evil. Appearances can be deceiving.

Your prayers are held in high esteem and considered to be priceless in the eyes of The Lamb of God. He has charged His elders with caring for each and every one of them, and collecting them in golden bowls.

"Prayers of faith are filed in Heaven; and though not presently answered are never forgotten." Matthew Henry

The next time the fog of war clouds your eyes and you can no longer see The Presence of God for the flow of tears in your eyes, keep praying. You are being heard. You are not forgotten. You are not alone. Brokenness before God in prayer brings great healing and wholeness to the broken places of your heart. Let Him fill you with His Presence. The more broken you are, the more priceless you are to The Father. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Restoration

"Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:19

Today a new thing begins in Roanoke, Texas. Our daughter and son-in-law, Brent and Ashley Warren, along with Chad and Amy Johnston, and a team of church planting pioneers are launching RESTORATION CHURCH.

Dana and I are so proud of them. Throughout 2014 they have diligently prepared for this day. They have faced one after another, each terrifying, testing and triumphant step of faith. The time has come.

The weather will be cold. The sun will not be out. It is winter time in Texas. Not as brutal as some some, but greyer than anyone wants it to be on such a special day. Still, there will be The Presence of Almighty God gracing this effort, and warming the souls of those who venture out on faith to do a "new thing."

The Father loves it when His children trust Him for something bigger than their own self-importance and self-confidence. He is never more pleased than when His children leap into the dark at the sound of His voice, and trust Him to light the way.

An elementary school has been transformed into a birthing room for a new church. The sound system has been patched together. Chairs have been set up. Signs have been placed on the corners of streets to guide people to church. The children's rooms are prepared. The coffee will be hot, and God will be glorified.

It doesn't get any better than this. I am reminded this morning of the words of The Apostle John, "I have no greater joy than to hear my children walk in the truth." 3 John 1:4

I have had the privilege of leading Ashley to Christ, and ordaining Brent to the ministry. I have presided over their wedding as they made their public vows to love and to cherish one another. Today falls into that same category of great days, and it will become unforgettable for all the right reasons.

Our prayers are with you. We will help in any way we can, but know this. God will make a way. He always has. He always will. Pray and trust HIM for the HIMpossible.

Love,
Pops and Gigi
(Gary and Dana L. Miller)

The Day

“O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.” Psalms 34:3

January 1, 1977 was the day this passage of Scripture became our Life Verse, as husband and wife. I had been looking forward to this day for a very long time. It was the day Dana would walk down the aisle of Sagamore Hill Baptist Church, in Fort Worth, Texas and walk away with me, as my wife.

Some days are just better than others. This one has no equal. Neither does Dana. We are still walking twogether, 38 years later. I had no idea who she really was when I asked her to be my wife. I am so glad God did. The longer I walk with her, the more I learn about her, and the more grateful to God I am for His gift to me of a warrior wife.

“An excellent wife is the crown of her husband.” Proverbs 12:4

I met Dana on September 9, 1974, but our first date was not until January of 1975. It did not go well. After a two-year roller coaster ride of break ups and do overs, we were engaged September 24, 1976. We would not have survived a long engagement, so we married just 67 days later. It was the wisest move I ever made.

Some things are meant to be, and postponing them doesn’t make them easier.  We signed up for the long haul, and 38 years later we are more in love than ever before. We often laugh and tell young couples we have had at least 10 years of happy marriage. Their nervous laughter reveals they know what we mean. Can I get a witness?

Trust me when I say, some things are worth fighting for, and a great marriage is the best fight you will ever win.  We both have refused to be outplayed or outprayed on our home court. When it comes to our marriage, we no longer fight like hell, but we fight hell, twogether.

There is nothing in the world that compares with being in a hard fight with a strong woman. Just make sure you are always on the right side. It helps to ask God for His direction, protection and correction. Pray it before you say it.

WARNING:  In the interest of full disclosure, I owe a word of explanation for the uninformed and inexperienced male. “Fight Like a Girl” doesn’t mean what you think it means.  Over the years, in most playground fights little boys have used it as a term of derision. Little did they know, it describes a sign of courage meant to be worn as a badge of honor. Watching my wife fight breast cancer has given me a whole new respect for her, and women in general. They have earned it. But I digress.

Dana and I enter 2015 with another passage of Scripture we have selected as our Verse for The Year.

“I will make up to you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten.”  Joel 2:25

We are praying this passage over the churches of our nation with a profound sense of urgency. It reveals the willingness of God to remove His hand of judgment, if His people return to Him. He longs to restore and revive what has been lost as a result of rebellious behavior.

For over 20 years Dana has been expressing her profound spiritual discernment with this phrase. “Without Spiritual Awakening, there is no hope for our churches or our nation.”  As the years have added up, millions prayer warriors have begun to pick up this same Heaven-sent signal on their spiritual radar screen. May their tribe increase.

NOTE TO SELF: Continue to exalt God’s name twogether with your wife. Praying with your wife will help you stay on course. Finish the fight, twogether, against the right enemy. Help is on the way, and the best is yet to come. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!