The Help

"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains, from where shall my help come? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber." Psalms 121:1-3

In August of 1973, after three days of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, I wrote this Scripture reference in a book at the summit of the mountain. I was at the highest point on the continent of Africa, and what I saw was an unforgettable scene.

The view from 19,800 ft. high Uhuru Peak was spectacular. The equatorial sun was brilliantly reflected off of the wall of the glacier, and the bright blue sky kissed the pure white clouds that surrounded the summit of the mountain. I had never seen anything like it, and words still fail me to describe it adequately.

Squinting, shivering, scribbling, and fresh from the climb, I knew the mountain was not my friend. It had resisted me, but God had assisted me every step along the way. He still does.

In short order, the three day ascent turned into a swift, two day descent. Every mountain climber knows the highest peak is only part of the journey, not the final destination. Returning alive is the real goal. The round trip climb was 85 miles long. My plans included getting safely back home.

The Psalmist sought more than a summit. He sought God. From mountain high and valley low, David had learned to trust in the rock solid integrity of these words, "My help comes from the LORD."

In his finest hours, David's life revealed a sense of direction that came from his personal intimacy with God. David was devoted to his Savior, not a religious system. Scripture repeatedly describes this intimacy with the words, "David inquired of the LORD."

When David prayed, he asked and received God's direction, protection and correction for the journey. When David was praying, his foot wasn't slipping. When David stopped praying, he started straying. Even a man after God's own heart is not immune from a heart attack.

David reached great heights, but lost sight of his goal. When he became breathless from the climb, he became prayerless at the summit. This set him up for a fall. David's prayerlessness was a sign of his pridefulness. It always is.

NOTE TO SELF: Protect your heart from busy-ness. It leads to barrenness. Your enemy is determined to see you slip and fall. God promises to be your help in time of need. Never confuse climbing higher for God with staying closer to God. The mountain is not your friend. God is. Enjoy the view of God's world, but never try to make it your own. Ask Him for the help you need. Find joy in the journey. It doesn't end until you are safe at home. Don't stay up all night worrying about your next step. Prayer enables you to find rest in His Presence. God never sleeps, so you don't have to stay up all night. Ask Him for help.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Conflict

"Too long has my soul had its dwelling with those who hate peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war." Psalms 120:6-7

David's song does not reveal a man who rejoiced in pain. It shows us a man who complained about it. The song did not call hurting people to a new level of endurance against the treachery of man. It introduces us to David's new level of reliance upon the love of The Father.

God, The Father not only heard the cry of David. He answered it. Still, David found himself surrounded by sworn enemies who carried a smoldering hatred for him and everything he believed. Being at peace with God only made David's enemies hate him all the more. It was exhausting and demoralizing. War always is.

Those who hate peace understand the nature of The Conflict. They intend to exert their will over those who don't. The Conflict between good and evil is never about framing the debate. It is about annihilating the truth.

Remember this. Evil isn't interested in coexisting with good. Those who hate peace don't fight to win a political argument or to make new friends. They are intent on winning a war. This war is spiritual, not mythical. and it is very real.

When David found himself surrounded by enemies, he did not run from the fight. He ran to God. The wise warrior always will. This is how spiritual wars are won. They require men and women of God who are not ashamed to call on God for help. They are not trying to convince God to get on their side. They are already convicted of their need to get on God's side. This is where the battle is won.

Recently, Sen. Ted Cruz was quoted accurately by the press and then chastised by them for what he said. As my friend, Cong. Bob McEwen says, "This only happens,..EVERY TIME."

The Senator called for his volunteers assisting him with his Presidential campaign to, "put on the full armor of God." (Ephesians 6:11)

The Senator was quoting a passage of Scripture that outlines The Conflict that rages in this world. The fact that his statement alarmed the media elite says more about their allegiance than their ignorance. They were threatened by these words for good reason. Although the battle is not against flesh and blood, it is against an ancient enemy. Many in the mainstream media serve as hand-puppets of an evil power they do not understand. They may not believe in it, but they represent it, and they serve it nonetheless.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12

The Senator is right. There is armor for The Conflict and the enemy fears it. That is why the enemy will go to great lengths to try to intimidate you into setting it aside. The enemy marginalizes the armor, not by attacking it, but by ridiculing it.

Late night talk show hosts, and political pundits are masters at using this technique. It is not new, just effective. It started when God's Word was first questioned by the Bible's earliest recorded voice of evil. "Yea, hath God said?" Translation: You really believe this stuff?

Don't be deceived. Be informed, forewarned and armed. Though the enemy hates it, you need this armor. The armor is no laughing matter. Don't be shamed into setting it aside, or removing it from the public square. It is your only hope.

The armor listed is primarily defensive, but there is one offensive weapon in the arsenal. It is "the sword of The Spirit which is the word of God." (Ephesians 6:17)

This may explain why the Word of God is so offensive. It is designed to defend and to offend. Know wonder the enemy hates it and wants it to be removed from The Conflict. 

The relentless efforts made in this nation to expunge the Word of God from the public square have resulted in its removal from history books, government buildings, schools, and in some cases even the pulpits of America. This is not a conspiracy hatched by a brigade wearing tin foil hats. It is a battle strategy of a relentless enemy seeking to steal, and destroy all that God values.

In Psalms 120 David cries out for peace. Most people do. When he tried to make peace with his enemies they saw it as a sign of weakness in David, not as a sign of strength. His enemies only turned up the heat on their hatred, and intensified their attack on him. Learn from this. Make peace with God, not the enemy.

Psalms 120 is the first of 15 Psalms of Ascents once sung along the way by the people of Israel, as they made their way up to The Temple Mount to worship God. It begins with David's cry for help, and God's immediate response to his pain. It ends with David at peace with God, but still at war with his enemies. Don't let that discourage you. Though a battle may rage around you, be at peace with God.

NOTE TO SELF: The closer you draw to God, the more visible you become. God's doesn't call you to hide in the tall grass in fear of the enemy. He calls you to the battle line to fight the enemy. Make no mistake about it. The battle is the Lord's, not yours, but prayer calls you to His side. Prayer provides you with the courage to stand in the armor of God while the whole world is trying to get you to lay it aside. Praying in the name of Jesus strikes fear in the heart of the enemy camp, and releases God's peace in your heart in the midst of the war.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Song

"In my trouble I cried to the Lord, and He answered me. Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue." Psalms 120: 1-2

The Psalms of Ascents, 120-134, are sometimes called The Songs of Degrees. Psalms 120 is the first of four of these 15 songs penned by David. It is a powerful, personal expression of the impact lying lips had on the soul of a man who is described in Scripture as a man after God's own heart.

There are seven things on God's hate list, and among them is a lying tongue. Those who have a heart for God will share His hatred for lying. They will never make excuses for it in themselves or in others.

"There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:...haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood." Proverbs 6:16-17

David's transparency in the Psalms is so vivid. There are times I want to shout, "Whoa, son, TMI." In this case he describes trouble that stabs his heart with so much pain that he can only cry out like a wounded beast, "Deliver my soul."

Before David could put words to his cry, God answered him. The word is used in the Old Testament to describe an immediate response. It reveals God's heart is moved by the cries of His children. The Father is the original "first responder." When the fiery darts of the evil one hit the hearts of His children, He responds to the evidence of their pain, not the eloquence of their words.

The ancient root of this word for answer reveals it comes from a word used to describe a song. God receives your cry of pain as a prayer and He responds with a song of comfort. Every parent knows the power a soft, soothing song has to calm a child's fears. God, The Father inclines His ear to hear the cries of His children, and He soothes their broken hearts with a song of comfort.

Perhaps the soul of man is best described by a simple statement in the book of Genesis, "the breath of life." The soul of man fully expresses the character of The Father, when His children live only to love what God loves, and to hate what God hates.

"Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." Genesis 2:7

David's pain inflicted by those who lied about him was so great that it made his enemies appear close and His God seem far away. Being falsely accused left him feeling surrounded by barbarous people in the north, and his Arab enemies in the south. He hadn't moved an inch, but his heart was on the run.

Anyone who has ever experienced a panic attack knows what David was going through. He was out of breath, and hadn't taken a step. The enemy has the capacity to chase you, and leave you breathless with fear. In the New Testament he is called, "The Accuser." He doesn't live to be right. He exists to accuse you of being wrong. Don't believe a word that comes out of his mouth, or the lips of the hand-puppets he controls to lie about you.

NOTE TO SELF: Lying lips are a permanent part of the landscape of a fallen world. Remember the words of David, "He answered me." God will answer your prayer too. Are you ready for your soul to be soothed by His song?

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Heritage

"Behold children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose whose quiver is full of them; they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate." Psalms 127:3-5

Psalms 127 contains a powerful reminder that children are a gift from God. The soul of a nation is revealed by how the innocent and the most vulnerable are treated. Any nation that hides behind "the law of the land" to devalue children will eventually turn a blind eye to the murder of them.

Abortion in America is a legally validated, and culturally accepted final solution to children judged to be an unnecessary inconvenience. Judging a child's heartbeat as an invasion of privacy and excusing the parents' heartless evasion of responsibility, the law of the land invites God's judgment. Stop it!

Children are a heritage of The Lord. They are not a punishment, but a blessing. They are to be protected by their mothers, directed by their fathers, and appreciated by both.

Gift or heritage is the same word that is often used in the Old Testament to describe the land provided by God to the respective tribes. It also refers to the Holy Land as a whole and to Israel by name.

The Holy Land was a heritage, a gift from God, but remained a possession of God. He passed it into the hands of His children, but never released ownership of it. They were not owners of the land, but stewards of it. Jehovah continued to watch over Israel and care for it as His own.

In the same way, children are a gift from God. They are on loan to parents from God. They are to be watched over and cared for on behalf of God. Wise parents are tapped into God's value system, and remind themselves they are blessed to receive children from God.

In December 1979 I was standing at the window of the maternity ward admiring our firstborn child, Ashley, when Sharon Ross spoke these words to me.

"She is a little blank slate and you can write on her anything that you want."

Sharon's words triggered a crisis of faith that took my prayer life to the next level in an instant. I had been so caught up in the process of Ashley's birth that I had forgotten the purpose of God's gift. God had a plan for Ashley's life and I was responsible for guiding her towards Him. She arrived in this world with God's hand-prints all over her. Every child does. That is The Heritage.

NOTE TO SELF: Psalms 127 clearly describes the role of a father as a guardian and a guide to these precious gifts from God. A wise father not only collects arrows, he directs them.. A misdirected arrow is a dangerous weapon. An unused arrow is a pointless one. Get the point?

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Self

"Therefore they inquired further of the LORD, "Has the man come here yet?" So the LORD said, "Behold, he is hiding himself by the baggage." 1 Samuel 10:22

When the people of Israel were determined to reject God's direction, protection and correction, they searched for man they could crown as their own king, They wanted to be like other nations. He helped them achieve exactly what they wanted. Be careful what you pray for. God just might help you get it.

Hiding your SELF is not the same thing as dying to self. Before Saul was chosen as King of Israel, he hid himself among the baggage. His fear of man overshadowed his fear of God. He ran from man, but not to God. When Saul became king his prideful SELF could no longer be hidden. It was exposed.

False humility is nothing more than pride posing as piety. The prayerless are prideful, always hiding from God's call and fearing man's worst.

Don't make God look for you. Run to Him, before, during and after every crisis that comes your way. Prayer surrenders your SELF to God's desire and design for your life. In His redemptive plan, death is a way of life. The apostle Paul declared, "I die daily." (I Cor. 15:31) - Start today.

NOTE TO SELF: Don't hide your SELF. Crucify your SELF. The death of your pride is not some spiritual form of suicide. It is absolute surrender of your SELF to God's will for your life. This year die daily.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Countdown

There is life after Christmas. You can count on it. I know it for a fact. Jesus said, "I came that they might have life, and have it more abundantly." John 10:10

In 1976, Dana and I were preparing for our WEDDING DAY that was soon to take place on January 1, 1977. She was in Beaumont spending Christmas with her family. I stayed in Fort Worth, counting the days until she got back, while serving on staff of a local church, and assisting Ron Harris with a Christmas Eve service.

Since 1976 Dana and I have been TWOgether for every other Christmas Day. We are looking forward to sharing many more. As always, the day after Christmas, we can't help but reflect on The Countdown to our wedding day.

The week of our wedding, the lady Dana enlisted to bake our wedding cake was in a car accident, and broke her arm. The florist had somehow misplaced her order for flowers. These were two formidable challenges but not impossible for Dana to set right. She got to work on it.

The night after our wedding rehearsal there was a deep freeze that quietly settled into the area. During the night the pipe's burst in the bridal room of the church, resulting in a flooded auditorium with six inches of water lapping at the altar where Dana and I would be standing.

I will never forget opening the door to the bridal room and seeing Dana's wedding dress floating in water. Her mother's scream was a sound I had never heard before and am glad to say I have never heard since. The fire department was called and when they arrived they were joined by 50 men from the church. They spent all day cleaning up the mess in time for the wedding.

Note to those born after 1977: This was an expression of total commitment on the part of these men. It was Bowl Day. I mean the original, one and only Bowl Day. There were no home electronic devices available to record the games being played that day. These men gave up the biggest football day of the year to be there for us. For Texans this is spelled...Priceless.

I decided we should not tell Dana what was going on that day. it was the first and the last secret I have ever kept from her, but I still stand by the decision. Don't judge me.

I left the church about an hour before our wedding, when the Fire Captain pulled the shop vac out of my hands, and ordered me, "Get out of here. Go get ready for your wedding." I went home and packed and grabbed my brown tux. That's another story.

I hadn't noticed that storm clouds had been moving into the area all day. About an hour before the wedding, an ice storm hit the city, closing streets, and shutting down DFW Airport. People ice-skated in their cars to our wedding. Some ended up in the ditch, and didn't make it to the church.

Fortunately God showed up. A young lady was saved at our wedding service that day, thanks to the messages and prayers provided by W. Fred Swank, Charlie Gilmer and my Dad, Don Miller. This year all three of these great men are in Heaven. They made a great team that day and tied a strong knot that has lasted 39 years. I miss them all, especially Dad.

At the close of our wedding Dana and I gathered with family and friends in the fellowship hall for the cutting of the cake and the reception. One of our favorite pictures is that of Dr. Curtis Vaughan, my New Testament professor. He presented us with a recent book he had completed, and wrote in the flyleaf, "Dear Gary and Dana, You have both meant much to me during my interim ministry at Sagamore. I wish for you the very best of God's blessings as you begin your life together." Curtis Vaughan I Peter 5:7 - "Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you."

For the record, Dana found another lady to step in on very short notice to make the cake. Dana's Mom, Arlyne and her Step-Dad, Bill, jumped in when they got to town. They found flowers and decorated the auditorium while we squeezed the water out of the carpet and vacuumed it out of the building.

After the reception Dana and I said our goodbyes, and then slipped our way down the icy steps and out the door to our car. We couldn't see very well. The windows had an inch of ice over them and resisted defrosting. We found out later that the kitchen in the fellowship hall of the church caught on fire. The same Fire Captain came back with his team. He dryly remarked to my father-in-law. "Memorable wedding." We should have had him and the firemen sign the guest book.

Weeks before our wedding my sister, Joy, had booked the first night of our honeymoon at the Bridal Suite of The Marina Hotel at DFW Airport. We planned to stay there one night and then drive to Ruidoso, New Mexico for a week. Some of you may recall The Marina was the only hotel at the airport in those days.

Since the ice storm had closed DFW Airport, all flights had been cancelled leaving many people stranded. When Dana and I arrived in the lobby of the hotel, it looked like a scene out of the fall of Saigon. Only the helicopter was missing.

People were standing 10 deep from the Front Desk, shouting and waving $100 bills in the air, willing to pay any price for a couch for the night. I am confident Mary and Joseph didn't use that kind of language on the innkeeper, the night they found out there was no room for them in the inn. But I digress.

Thirty-nine years later Dana and I still begin the first day after Christmas with The Countdown to New Year's Day. We believe what Jesus said. There is life after Christmas. Those who know Jesus as their Savior, not just a baby in a manger, will discover the truth of His words.

NOTE TO SELF: An abundant life is found in Jesus. No one offers more. Accept no substitutes. No matter what obstacles you may face in life, PRAY! "Casting all your cares upon Him," reveals Jesus is always there for you. He is never farther than a prayer away. The Countdown to abundant life begins with your next breath.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Glory

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." Luke 2:14

The heavenly host was not a choir, but an angel army. These warriors were shouting glory to God, not singing a song to the shepherds. It must have been a thrilling sound.

This side of Heaven, the annual shouting matches that take place at the annual Army/Navy game may provide a slight sense of the sound the shepherds heard that night in Bethlehem.

Remembering the black and white TV broadcasts of my boyhood, I recall the yell leaders of each of the service academies were not cheerleaders. Their job was not to dance for the cameras, or wave their pom poms, but to give the warriors in waiting of their academy a voice.

In those days, the Army/ Navy yell leaders would orchestrate thousands of cadets and midshipmen to lift their spine-tingling roars to a fever pitch.These shout-offs between the two service academies would bring a smile to my Dad's face. His heart would burn within him with memories of his service in WW2. In 1942 he marched and shouted with warriors mobilized to strike fear in the enemy camp. Their shouts were the first steps towards ultimate victory. I can still hear hims saying softly, "Oh, my soul."

NOTE TO SELF: The Christmas Story still stirs the hearts of angels, thrills the souls of men, and strikes fear in the enemy camp. That is why the enemy is so relentless to dilute the message, and to distract the warriors. Never forget The Glory of The Story belongs to God. Give The Glory to Him. Angels still do. You should too. Shout it loud. Shout it proud. Glory to God!

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Search

"Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's House?"

Luke's account of The Christmas Story is a chronological and historical compilation from personal interviews with those who knew Jesus best. It should not be surprising that the birth of Jesus is followed by The Search for Jesus. This time The Search was not made by The Shepherds or The Wise Men, but by His parents.

"Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out in consecutive order." Luke 1:1-3

At twelve years of age Jesus had accompanied Mary and Joseph on their annual trip to the City of Jerusalem. Along with thousands of other pious pilgrims they headed to The Temple to celebrate the Feast of the Passover.

The distance from Nazareth to Jerusalem is approximately 60 miles, as the crow flies, but in Israel even crows don't fly in a straight line. There are always turns in the road. What can be traveled today by bus, in a little over an hour, required Mary and Joseph to embark on an uphill journey that took the better part of a week to complete.

This worship experience was an act of obedience, not a matter of convenience. Genuine worship embraces the former, and stiff-arms the latter. Don't be surprised if worship feels like an uphill walk. You will never coast your way to higher ground.

The rugged terrain, slashed by a winding road, provided the threat of robbery at every twist and turn. The journey was made by caravan to provide protection for Mary and Joseph and the many pilgrims making their way to the celebration of The Feast.

After the celebration was completed, Mary and Joseph headed back downhill to Nazareth. After a day's journey they missed Jesus. This is an amazing admission, since all of what Luke wrote was inspired by The Spirit, and it also was a result of firsthand, personal interviews with those who knew Jesus best.

There is no evidence that Mary and Joseph ever released a book on "Parenting Jesus." My guess is, it would not be popular with contemporary "helicopter parents" intent on hovering over every moment of their child's life. But I digress.

"The boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents were unaware of it, but supposed him to be in the caravan, and went a day's journey and they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem looking for Him. Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking questions."

For crying out loud! Mary and Joseph misplaced Jesus. They had one job. Stay with Jesus! Remember, Jesus had not left them. They had left Jesus. Eventually, they returned to where they left Him. Follow their lead.

In all fairness to Mary an Joseph, people lose Jesus every day, by taking His Presence for granted. The wise ones call out to The Father for help, and soon find their way back to The Son.

When Mary and Joseph found Jesus, they saw Him sitting, listening and asking questions of the teachers. The rabbis were amazed at His answers. Mary was astonished by His absence. She didn't commend her son for what He had done right. She rebuked Him for what she had done wrong. Mary didn't invent the blame game, but she was good at it. Some things never change.

"Son, why have you treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You." v. 48

This exchange reveals both an intimacy and a disconnect between Jesus and His parents. Mary felt the freedom to play the victim card, and attempted to guilt Jesus into a remorse over what she perceived to be His calloused treatment of their feelings. Perception is sometimes called the cruelest form of truth, but don't fall for the lie.

"They did not understand the statement which He made to them." v. 50

This exchange between Jesus and His earthly parents reveals there is a clear distinction between knowing about Jesus and understanding His mission. Jesus was drawn to The House of His Father, and saturated Himself in The Father's Word. He did it by sitting, and listening to teachers and asking and answering questions. His Mission was to please His Father, no matter where the journey took Him. Never forget it. The cradle led to The Cross.

The success of His mission called upon Jesus to learn from others, and to submit to His parent's authority over Him. The learned rabbis and His anxious parents invested all they had into Him. Jesus received what God gave to Him through them. God brought the increase.

A rebel stomps on the seeds God plants in His heart. A servant cherishes and cultivates what God sews into His life. Jesus learned to lead by submitting to the will of His Father, not by demanding His own will. The prayer life of Jesus kept the will of The Father dominant in His life. Prayer will do the same for you.

"He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." v. 52

NOTE TO SELF: Never allow a saintly smugness to settle into your relationship with Jesus. Your hands and your heart can grow calloused handling The Holy. Just when you think you have arrived in your journey, Jesus will make a turn that leaves you breathless with anxiety. Don't worry. Stay by His side in the yoke. Prayer increases your trust in Him as He takes you around a blind bend in the road. By His side, you will see life, not as an ambush, but as an adventure. Remember the words to the old camp song, "Where ever He leads, I'll go. Wise men still do.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Child

"When they had performed everything according to the Law of The Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth. The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him." Luke 2: 39-40

Returning to Nazareth brought Mary and Joseph full circle back to their home. The Scripture from this point forward makes more of Jesus than it does of His earthly parents. They each had an essential part to play in the Christmas Story but Jesus played the lead role. He still does.

"The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom."

For twelve years the Scripture is silent about the childhood of The Child, except for this simple statement about the development of the body and character of Jesus. Contemporary parents should be interested in the growth of both in their children's lives. Feeding children with proper food without giving them a healthy diet of the Word of God always stunts their growth where it counts most, in their character.

"And the grace of God was upon Him."

The grace of God revealed the hand-prints of The Father upon The Child. More to the point, the grace of God was in the spiritual DNA of Jesus He was not just The Child born in a manger. He was The Savior sent to save.

By the time Jesus was twelve years of age, there is no biblical evidence that the people of Nazareth perceived Him to be anything other than a boy born out of wedlock to a working-class couple with a checkered past. If the shepherds' story about the birth of The Child made it out of Bethlehem, it was either old news to the people of Nazareth, or it had been discounted altogether. After all, they could only see Him as the son of a carpenter, not The Creator.

Mary provides the best glimpse into the life she shared with Jesus in her home. The Bible records she and Jesus were in attendance at a wedding feast when the host ran out of wine. Mary pulled the servants aside, and said to them, "Whatever He tells you to do, do it." Miracles still happen when people do what He tells them to do.

Mary witnessed a life-time of the outpouring of God's grace upon the life of The Child. Wise parents still pray for the unmerited favor of God to be upon their children. They will never grow in strength and wisdom without it.

God's saving grace was upon The Savior. From the time of His birth, throughout His childhood, during His ministry, upon the cross, by the resurrection, this grace was revealed. It can still be seen in His continuous intercession for His followers. What God poured out upon Him, Jesus prays for you to receive.

Jesus prayed for The Father's will to be done in His life. Intimate times of prayer with His Father maintained His attitude of submission and kept Him under the authority of His Father. Prayer released God's grace upon Him to make a difference in others, not just to make a name for Himself. Pray to receive His grace, not to get your own way.

NOTE TO SELF: The Savior was never in need of salvation, because He is God. Still, Jesus was the recipient of God's grace to carry out His mission. So are you. In your case, you cannot be saved without saving grace. Stiff-necked people with stiff knees always stiff arm the grace of God. Believing they deserve it more than they need it, they never receive it. Don't be one of them. Receiving God's grace begins by understanding you don't deserve it, but you need it. God's grace is essential to your salvation, and the development of your character. Pray for it.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Moment

"And there was a prophetess, Anna...advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after marriage, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem." Luke 2:36-38

Every year nativity scenes and Christmas plays collide with Luke chapter two, but directors rarely know what to do with Simeon and Anna. Their scripts call for a manger scene because Scripture reveals there was no room for Jesus in the inn, but if it will draw a crowd they will squeeze a a camel onto the stage.

Eight days after the birth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph brought their infant son to The Temple. The Wise Men were still on the road, and the gifts had not arrived but Simeon and Anna were right on time. The Bible doesn't reveal that they knew one another, but Simeon and Anna were definitely kindred spirits. Each of them had held onto hope in their advanced age, waiting for the coming of The Messiah.

The scene in Luke's account depicts a young couple, a child and two senior adults meeting at the crossroads of obedience to God's Word and reverence for His house. Simeon's blessing and Anna's prophetic word rarely make the director's cut, but they are priceless prose that deserve a second look.

"At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem."

Waiting on God is a difficult lesson to learn, but it is an essential part of the life of a child of God. Anna and Simeon waited on God, and were rewarded with the privilege of seeing what God was doing "at that very moment." God is always at work. Live in The Moment.

Praying and fasting, these two Senior Saints kept their hearts tender to God's touch. Prayer prepared their eyes to see God's hands and fasting inclined their ears to hear His voice. Prayer enabled them to live in The Moment. Prayer encouraged them to receive each moment of waiting, not as a day of delay or a final denial but a step closer to The Deliverer.

To the rest of the world Simeon and Anna must have appeared to be finished, used up, and discarded. Looks can be deceiving. They may have outlived their peers, but they had not outlived their usefulness. Praying people never grow old. They mature. Grow up.

Prayer improves your vision. Look again at these two saints. There was not one moment of their lives that God wasted. Each moment of life God gave them had prepared them for the greatest moment of their lives. When their time came, they were ready for their close up.

“Before we can pray, 'Lord, Thy Kingdom come,' we must be willing to pray, 'My Kingdom go.'”― Alan Redpath

NOTE TO SELF: God can create a convert in a moment, but He chooses to turn a sinner into a saint by converting a life-time of moments into a meaningful life. Prayer will keep your heart tender to God's touch and your ears attentive to His voice. Live in The Moment. Are you ready for your close up?

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!