Seven days with Jesus: Day 2 -- Pray for Resistance

"Pray that you may not enter into temptation." Luke 22: 40

After Jesus concluded the celebration of The Passover, He left The Upper Room, and led His disciples to The Mount of Olives. He invited them to accompany Him into a familiar, secluded garden overlooking the city of Jerusalem.

The Garden of Gethsemane was not just secluded. It was sacred. Jesus often withdrew to this place to pray. Prayer was not His way of escaping from people, but His way of running to God. Prayer sustained His unbroken intimacy with His Father.

Jesus was not too proud to pray. He knew the power of resistance over the enemy was in direct proportion to His dependence upon The Father. Jesus was devoted to prayer and to the Word of God. Those seeking resistance to temptation would be wise to follow His lead into The Garden.

Prayerless people fail to resist temptation, because they place their trust in their own strength to deal with it. Prayerless people, puffed up with pride in their own personal strengths or a list of their own accomplishments are easy targets for a relentless enemy. Don’t be one of them.
The Garden was a place where Jesus often went, not just to get away from the cares of people, but to place His cares into the hands of God.

“And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him.”
v. 39

Weary in well-doing, reflecting upon the great events of the day, the disciples were relieved to find some solitude from the press of the crowds. Expecting to get some much-needed rest, little did these tired men know that the real work of the ministry was about to begin. Jesus tried to warn them.

“When He arrived at the place, He said to them, ‘Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” Luke 22:40

The disciples must have thought it a strange remark for Jesus to make to them as they settled into this safe, secluded haven. After a great day of ministry, and a powerful Passover celebration, everything appeared to be going their way. Actually, it was coming their way. Temptation always is.

WARNING: Satan loves to attack after a great victory. He knows the capacity of people to rest on their laurels and to let their guard down after getting a win under their belts. Pray without ceasing because the enemy never stops attacking.

God’s plan of redemption was right on schedule. Nothing was going to happen to Jesus that would be a surprise God or catch Jesus off guard. Still, the enemy was going to tempt the disciples to panic in the face of the battle of redemption in order to steal, kill and destroy all their fondest dreams. His battle plan remains the same.

Jesus gathered the disciples to pray for the power to resist the unexpected attack of the enemy. Warning and withdrawing from His disciples, Jesus began to pray. His disciples promptly fell asleep. They followed him into The Garden, but they failed to join Him in the fight.
Remember this one thing. Prayer is war! Fight to win.

The Reformer, Martin Luther, is often attributed with a very clever, but incomplete perspective on temptation.

“I can’t stop birds from flying over my head, but I can stop them from building nests in my hair.”
Resisting temptation is more than seeing what is wrong. Prayer empowers a disciple to see what was right.

Jesus offered prayer to His disciples to prepare them to face any trial, or test the enemy would throw against them. Satan had asked permission to sift Peter, but all the disciples were going to have their faith pounded.

The enemy still loves to attack at night to leave prayerless people in the dark, wondering what hit them. Prayer serves as a pair of night vision goggles to enable alert warriors to see what the enemy is doing in the dark. Prayer also reveals the hand of God. When it appears the enemy is winning, prayer will enable you to see God is always working. Watch and pray!

Note to Self: It is always too early to panic, and never too late to pray. Prayer prepares you for the pounding and the purifying of your faith. Prayerlessness leaves you vulnerable to temptation. Prayerfulness empowers you to resist temptation. Never trust in your own power to resist an attack on your faith. Run into The Presence of Almighty God for His direction, protection and correction. Never doubt in the dark what you know to be true in the light.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

Seven days with Jesus: Day 1 -- Pray for Strength

"Satan has asked permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you , when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." Luke 22:32

Following the triumphal entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem, He gathered His disciples in the upper room to celebrate The Passover. As evening drew near, the disciples faithfully observed this time-honored tradition of the Hebrew people.

As they celebrated their ancestors deliverance from their slavery in Egypt, the disciples were unaware of the gathering storm of spiritual warfare that was approaching them. Jesus was not caught off guard by what was coming. He was prepared to meet the conflict, not avoid it. His mission was to confront and defeat the enemy. Prayer was his mighty weapon of warfare. He wielded it against the evil one, as He interceded for His disciples to conquer their temptation to run in the face of the enemy.

Jesus said to Peter, the natural born leader of The Twelve, "Satan has asked permission to sift you like wheat; "
Luke 22:31

Any success in the battle between good and evil swings on the hinges of Christ's permission and His intercession. Some politically correct preachers find it hard to believe, but Jesus believed in Satan. Jesus did not believe Satan was omnipotent, but he was real. He still is, but he also has real limitations. He has to seek permission from Jesus to test the strength of Peter.

Never forget. Faith is revealed when you first believe in Jesus. Faith is strengthened when you understand Jesus believes in you. Satan's mission is to steal, kill and destroy. Because he is a liar, he believes everyone else is a liar too. In the case of Peter, Satan was confident he could destroy Peter's witness by attacking his faith. Jesus understands that a person's faith is strengthened by these attacks. Satan is a slow learner. He will come after your faith too. Be ready for it.
Jesus told Peter, "but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." Luke 22:3

"But" is the conjunction that marks the junction where the prayers of Jesus meet Satan's attack on your faith. Personal strength is needed for a relentless struggle against evil. Jesus prayed for

Peter to place his confidence in God, not in himself. Jesus was aware of Peter's capacity for either fear or faith. He could see where Peter's pride was going to take Him. He warned him failure was coming, but he encouraged him to fail forward, and strengthen his brothers with what he would learn from his fall.

"If I could hear Jesus praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. But the distance makes no difference. He is praying for me."
Robert Murray M'Cheyne

Jesus knew Peter's arrogant, self-confidence was based upon an inflated assessment of his own strength. Personal pride was Peter's greatest hindrance to his battle against evil. He relied too heavily on his own opinion and he valued his own courage to highly. When he heard Jesus say He was praying for him, he didn't thank Him for it. He boasted to Jesus, and shamed the other disciples by boldly claiming.

"Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death."
v. 33

Peter didn't know what he was saying, but his words were filled with truth. Deaf to the words of Jesus, he took strength in the sound of his own voice. Rather than taking the words of Jesus to heart, he relied upon his past track record. Peter had no idea his pride was setting the pace in a race to disgrace.

Peter was exactly right. Pay attention to his words, "Lord, with You I am ready..." When Peter was with Jesus he was full of faith, not fear. Peter was in the habit of taking credit for his past successes, without recognizing Jesus was the source of his strength. When Peter kept his eyes on Jesus he was capable of great faith. When he lost sight of Jesus, he was capable of great fear. Independence doesn't strengthen you for the battle against evil. Dependence does. Are you ready for the battle? PRAY!

NOTE TO SELF: Pray for strength. You don't have what you need to face what the forces of evil can put in your path. No matter how hard you try to see into the dark, you just never see it coming without the eyes of faith. Jesus is the source of all you need for the challenges you face. Prayer enables you to hear Jesus praying for you, and to experience His Spirit filling you with His courage. Boasting of your own strength only reveals your weakness to the enemy. Humbling yourself before God invites The Strengthener to fill you with His Presence. The battle is coming. Get ready.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Contribution: So We Pray

Evangelical pastors focused on restoring a Judeo-Christian culture in a post-Christian world must be actively engaged in the process without becoming continuously enraged at the participants. Verbally carpet-bombing a community of people who disagree with your political position exposes your spiritual condition without advancing your cause. Why?

“The anger of man does not accomplish the righteousness of God.”
James 1:20

Os Guinness challenges me to "think Christianly." I believe he has accurately described the current condition of the American Church. He persuades me to focus my eyes on the revival of the church, not the survival of the church.

“Much of the American Church is in the same poor condition as the church before the Reformation or before the Great Awakening in the early 18th Century. So we need reformation and we need revival. Our greatest contribution to that is to recognize the difference between what we can do and what God alone can do, so we pray. But as we wait and pray and work, one of the foundational things we need is the ability to persuade. Under God it is our immense privilege and challenge to work to open hearts and minds to what we know is the best news ever.” Os Guinness, (From Interview in OUTREACH Magazine, March/ April 2016, p. 64)

Survival focuses on the appearance of the church. Putting more rouge on a dead church is a deception, not a resurrection. Rouge is cold comfort and never turns death into life.

Revival focuses on the disappearance of man and the appearance of The Spirit of God. John the Baptist set the bar for those who would pave the way for a fresh movement of God. The road to Spiritual Awakening is built on the crushed pride of broken men, not on the eloquent arrogance of prideful men.

"He must increase, but I must decrease"
John 3:30

Prayer breathes fresh life into The Body of Christ. When the church is in need of a resurrection, planting more churches is admirable as long as they are not an appearance of life. Don't be deceived. Planting another corpse is only a burial, not a revival. Don't stop planting. Start praying. Why?

"The world will never believe in a religion in which there is no power. A rationalized faith, a socialized church, and a moralized gospel may gain applause, but they awaken no conviction and win no converts."
Samuel Chadwick

NOTE TO SELF: Do what you can do. Trust God to do what He can do. Make your next breath a prayer for the revival of the church, not a cry for the survival of it. Without a fresh breath from God, there is no survival.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Strength

"Satan has asked permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you , when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." Luke 22:32

DAY 1: PRAY FOR STRENGTH! Following the triumphal entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem, He gathered His disciples in the upper room to celebrate The Passover. As evening drew near, the disciples faithfully observed this time-honored tradition of the Hebrew people.

As they celebrated their ancestors deliverance from their slavery in Egypt, the disciples were unaware of the gathering storm of spiritual warfare that was approaching them. Jesus was not caught off guard by what was coming. He was prepared to meet the conflict, not avoid it. His mission was to confront and defeat the enemy. Prayer was his mighty weapon of warfare. He wielded it against the evil one, as He interceded for His disciples to conquer their temptation to run in the face of the enemy.

Jesus said to Peter, the natural born leader of The Twelve, "Satan has asked permission to sift you like wheat; " Luke 22:31

Any success in the battle between good and evil swings on the hinges of Christ's permission and His intercession. Some politically correct preachers find it hard to believe, but Jesus believed in Satan. Jesus did not believe Satan was omnipotent, but he was real. He still is, but he also has real limitations. He has to seek permission from Jesus to test the strength of Peter.

Never forget. Faith is revealed when you first believe in Jesus. Faith is strengthened when you understand Jesus believes in you. Satan's mission is to steal, kill and destroy. Because he is a liar, he believes everyone else is a liar too. In the case of Peter, Satan was confident he could destroy Peter's witness by attacking his faith. Jesus understands that a person's faith is strengthened by these attacks. Satan is a slow learner. He will come after your faith too. Be ready for it.

Jesus told Peter, "but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." Luke 22:3

"But" is the conjunction that marks the junction where the prayers of Jesus meet Satan's attack on your faith. Personal strength is needed for a relentless struggle against evil. Jesus prayed for Peter to place his confidence in God, not in himself. Jesus was aware of Peter's capacity for either fear or faith. He could see where Peter's pride was going to take Him. He warned him failure was coming, but he encouraged him to fail forward, and strengthen his brothers with what he would learn from his fall.

"If I could hear Jesus praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. But the distance makes no difference. He is praying for me." Robert Murray M'Cheyne

Jesus knew Peter's arrogant, self-confidence was based upon an inflated assessment of his own strength. Personal pride was Peter's greatest hindrance to his battle against evil. He relied too heavily on his own opinion and he valued his own courage to highly. When he heard Jesus say He was praying for him, he didn't thank Him for it. He boasted to Jesus, and shamed the other disciples by boldly claiming.

"Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death." v. 33

Peter didn't know what he was saying, but his words were filled with truth. Deaf to the words of Jesus, he took strength in the sound of his own voice. Rather than taking the words of Jesus to heart, he relied upon his past track record. Peter had no idea his pride was setting the pace in a race to disgrace.

Peter was exactly right. Pay attention to his words, "Lord, with You I am ready..." When Peter was with Jesus he was full of faith, not fear. Peter was in the habit of taking credit for his past successes, without recognizing Jesus was the source of his strength. When Peter kept his eyes on Jesus he was capable of great faith. When he lost sight of Jesus, he was capable of great fear. Independence doesn't strengthen you for the battle against evil. Dependence does. Are you ready for the battle? PRAY!

NOTE TO SELF: Pray for strength. You don't have what you need to face what the forces of evil can put in your path. No matter how hard you try to see into the dark, you just never see it coming without the eyes of faith. Jesus is the source of all you need for the challenges you face. Prayer enables you to hear Jesus praying for you, and to experience His Spirit filling you with His courage. Boasting of your own strength only reveals your weakness to the enemy. Humbling yourself before God invites The Strengthener to fill you with His Presence. The battle is coming. Get ready.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Walk

As you prepare for the celebration of Resurrection Sunday, consider taking a walk with Jesus to recall what The Savior did for you. Luke's account of the events between Palm Sunday and Resurrection Day, is a vivid portrayal of the prayer life of the Lord, Jesus.

Luke was not a first hand observer of the life of Jesus, but he was a faithful historian, documenting not only what happened during those days, but offering keen insight into why it all happened.There is little doubt that the Apostle Paul was a great source for Luke's documentation of those early days of the church. From Paul he learned It is not enough to know the history of the resurrection, believers must experience the power of it.

Those seeking the power of The Risen Christ must have a passion for intimate fellowship with The Spirit of Christ. This power is released by embracing the fellowship of Christ's suffering. Paul had been on hand when Stephen was stoned to death. He witnessed the capacity of this Spirit-filled man to live out his faith in Christ, and to die with forgiveness on his lips for those who took his life. Stephen didn't just know about the Resurrection, he had intimate fellowship with The Risen Christ.

This is the difference that revealed in Stephen the power of The Resurrection. Dead men have no rights that can be taken from them. Because Stephen had died to his rights, he was able to intercede for the rights of others. Paul must have been haunted by the last words Stephen spoke.

"Lord, do not hold this sin against them!"
Acts 7:60

Paul's life was not transformed by being informed. His life changed with he was confronted with his sin, and he embraced The Risen Christ on the Road to Damascus. From that moment on Paul never stopped walking with Jesus, no matter where Jesus would lead him. This is the walk that leads to the fellowship of His suffering. Genuine Christianity is revealed on earth by dead men walking.

"That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering being conformed to His death in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3:10

DAY 1: PRAY FOR STRENGTH: Following the triumphal of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem, He gathered His disciples in the upper room to celebrate The Passover. As evening drew near, the disciples faithfully observed the tradition. They were unaware of the gathering storm of spiritual warfare that was approaching them. Jesus was not caught off guard by it. His mission was not to avoid the conflict. He was sent to confront and defeat the enemy. Prayer was his mighty weapon of warfare. He wielded it, as He interceded for His disciples to conquer temptation.
"Satan has asked permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you , when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." Luke 22:32
DAY 2: PRAY FOR RESISTANCE: "Pray that you may not enter into temptation." Luke 22: 40
DAY 3: PRAY FOR BROKENNESS: "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done." Luke 22:42
DAY 4: PRAY FOR FORGIVENESS: "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34
DAY 5: PRAY FOR RELEASE: "Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT." Luke 23:46
DAY 6: PRAY FOR DISCERNMENT: "He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him;" Luke 24: 31
DAY 7: PRAY FOR HOPE: "While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into Heaven." Luke 24:51

NOTE TO SELF: Your walk with The Risen Christ is the next 20 seconds. Don't postpone your walk to take your next breath. Begin your fellowship with the breath that you have in your lungs. Prayer is the breath of Heaven, and it release Christ's power on earth.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Devotion

"We will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." Acts 6:4

Those who wish to reconnect the contemporary church to its ancient root system need to take a close look at what the early church fathers. They found themselves in the middle of a crisis, when complaints had arisen among the people concerning the treatment of widows.

Real or imagined, perception is the cruelest form of truth. The early church was divided, and the gap between the two groups was widening with persistent complaints of mistreatment. The solution selected by The Twelve should be a prototype for every church experiencing conflict.

The Twelve devoted themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word. They also commissioned a Spirit-filled task force to solve the problem. Crisis averted.

To be devoted means to be strong, to be steadfast, to endure, to be continuously patient, to give unremitting care to a thing. It is much more than emotion. It is a disciplined adherence to a chosen path. It describes an uninterrupted, earnest pursuit towards something precious, and a willingness to persevere, and to be constantly diligent toward a singular purpose in life.

In this case, prayer and the ministry of the word of God would be the chosen path for the church. The early church fathers would not be sidetracked by conflict, or detoured by crisis. They would persevere in prayer, and focus their eyes upon the word of God. Great advice.

The ancient enemy of the church knows that a church focused on prayer and the word of God is formidable, but a church divided by complaints and conflict is vulnerable. Prayerless and powerless churches are not much of a hindrance to the enemy. They lack courage for the fight and are blinded to the schemes of the enemy.

"The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, or prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray." Samuel Chadwick

The early church fathers were devoted to prayer, but what kind of prayer? Anyone who has attended a weekly prayer meeting in a local church knows how easily it can be hijacked into a laundry list of medical reports, or replaced with a monthly business meeting. It is hard to imagine this is what the founders had in mind. What did these men sense about prayer that made it vitally important to the survival and the revival of the church?

The founders were devoted to prayer to maintain personal, consistent companionship with Jesus. They were devoted to the word of God to keep the church obedient to His mission. The were dependable and they were expendable. They never forgot Jesus was the Head of the Church.

Prayer is the air they breathed for the courage to face the enemy, and the word is the light they depended upon for the clarity needed to fight the enemy. The enemy loves to fight in the dark. Prayer and the word of God exposes the schemes of the enemy. Wise warriors in this Spiritual Warfare never go to war without making use of both.

NOTE TO SELF: Don't pray to ask God to bless your plans for your life. Pray in order to get in on His plan for your life. Prayer is not about giving God His assignments to bless you. Prayer is about getting your life into alignment to serve Him. Devotion is consistent companionship with Jesus. Stay in His Presence long enough for the Spirit of God to tune your ear to His voice. When you hear Him speak, confirm what you hear with what He has revealed in God's word. The two will never contradict one another. No fellowship can be called Christ's Church without being devoted to both.

"Knowing God's will in specifics comes out of consistent companionship with God."
Lloyd John Ogilvie

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The R.E.S.T.

“O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; nor do I involve myself in great matters, or in things too difficult for me. Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child rests against his mother, my soul is like a weaned child within me. O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forever.” Psalms 131: 1-3

David has been described as “The Sweet Psalmist of Israel.” His songs flowed from the soul of a man who was described by God as, “a man after My own heart.” Let that sink in for a moment. God knew David warts and all, yet God could see at the very heart of this man was a moral compass that drew him back into His Presence.

David discovered that the pride and haughtiness of his own heart was a hindrance to his intimacy with God. Believing in his own infallibility fed his ego, but starved his soul. Racing ahead of God led David to breathe his own ether, and dulled his senses, causing him to listen to bad counsel and to make poor choices. This never ended well for David on the battlefield or the home front. 

Simply put, the prayerless are prideful. The world honors the loud man with the plan, not the quiet man on his knees. The haughty man beats his chest declaring, to one and all, he has all the answers. The humble man knows his limitations and relies on God for the answers. The haughty man is weak. The praying man is meek. Never confuse meekness with weakness. Jesus didn’t. Paul didn’t. Neither should you.

Perhaps the following Scripture is the best preamble for answered prayer. Those who have all the answers see no need to pray. At best they postpone it until they run out of options. At worst, they mock those who pray. Don’t be like those who treat prayer as the last resort. Embrace prayer as your first choice.

“O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; nor do I involve myself in great matters, or in things too difficult for me.

David was not a poet mindlessly and serenely strumming his harp in the quiet solitude of a mountain retreat. He was more like a man composing poetry while wrestling with alligators.  Sometimes his Psalms read like a toxic “Whine List.” David was not immune from despair, discouragement or defeat. He had enemies in high and low places, but like you and me, David was his own worst enemy. He broke God’s heart more than once.

NOTE TO SELF: When you break God’s heart, be sure to break it for the right reason.

“Two things break the heart of God. Rebellion and repentance.”

Don Miller, 1922-2015

When David came to the end of himself, he turned his back on his sin and turned his face to God. David discovered true manhood was authentic child-likeness. Anyone who has ever seen a restless child calmed by a mother’s milk is aware of what David was describing. To a child, their mother’s breasts are a source of provision, and her arms are a place of protection. When children are hungry they know on whom to call. When they are afraid they race, bawling, crawling or running to their mother’s arms. Follow their lead. Prayer is not about eloquence. It is all about dependence.

“I have composed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child rests against his mother, my soul is like a weaned child within me.”

As a Shepherd David was called many times to battle against overwhelming odds in fights against evil men and wild beasts.  As the anointed King he led outlaws and disenfranchised people to wage war against powerful, relentless, and established enemies. Victory was not found in the might of his sword, but in the arms of God.

David was an anointed man before he was an appointed man.  From years of solitude in the hills surrounding Bethlehem, David discovered his true source of power, personal intimacy with God. In Scripture, when David, “Inquired of the LORD,” he experienced victory. When he didn’t seek God’s counsel, he failed miserably. Learn the lesson. This only happens…EVERY TIME.

Psalms 131 describes David’s level of intimacy with God, as child-like trust. He rested in the knowledge that he didn’t have all the answers. He took the questions to the One who did.  Intimacy with God soothed his soul and calmed his heart. It will do the same for you. There is no greater relief in the world than the discovery that God is God and you are not. Accept no substitutes.

Urgency robs your soul of intimacy with The Father.  Thirty years ago I discovered a little booklet entitled, “The Tyranny of the Urgent.” It was a call for me to discover the difference between what was important and what was urgent in life. Fear of the urgent makes my heart race. Praying for the important calms my soul.

Those who discern the difference between these two choices find themselves at peace in The Presence of God. Those who don’t become like Mr. Castanza, on the old Jerry Seinfeld TV show. He was always capping the the volcano of his boiling rage and shouting out, “Serenity Now!” It was painful to watch, and even more painful to live.

“…Hope in the LORD from this time forth and forever.”

In Scripture hope and wait are interchangeable truths. There is simply no hope of rest for the people of God who refuse to wait upon the LORD. When you don’t make time to wait on God you experience the dire consequences of“WAIT LOSS!” It will cost you more than you want to pay. When you pray, wait in His Presence long enough to find R.E.S.T. for you soul. When faced with the choice between the URGENT and IMPORTANT, Release Every Single Thing to God in prayer. Even a restless child won’t stay up all night when they are provided for and protected in the arms of a loving parent. R.E.S.T! God stays up all night.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Dreamers

“When the LORD brought back the captive ones of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful shouting; then they said among the nations, ‘The LORD has done great things for them.’ ” Psalms 126:1-2

The recent release of Pastor Saeed Abedini from an Iranian prison provided a powerful image of the transformation that takes place when a prisoner is released from captivity. It not only impacted the life of one man, it brought joy to the soul of a nation.

The Psalmist led the people of Israel to praise God for the restoration and recovery that comes when The LORD “brought back the captive one’s of Israel.”

It us understood, that King David would not have been aware of the return of the captives from their Babylonian captivity. This Psalm is a call to rejoice every time the Spirit of the Living God intervenes to break the chains of captivity. It is also a reminder that a watching world is waiting to praise God for it.

The Hebrew language is rich and complex. From my one year of study of it in seminary, I only scratched the surface of its depth, but Hebrew created an itch in my spirit to know more.

From what I can determine, the same word for dream can also mean a restoration to robust health. Literally it meant plump, or fat and fleshy. It was used to describe the healthy state of growing infants and reproducing flocks.

Dreamers are not those who walk around in a cosmic coma like Zion Zombies. They are overjoyed at the release from their captivity and overwhelmed by God’s gracious intervention on their behalf.

There are all kinds of captives, trapped in a plethora of prisons. The mission of our ancient enemy is to “steal, kill and destroy.” Those who enter his grotesque gulag often do so willingly. Don’t be one of them.

One of the price tags of a consumer culture is the cost it puts on granting people the desires of their heart. It devours joy by granting people exactly what they want. Transforming the human drive to make a difference into the drudgery of making a living robs people of joy, by depriving them of sleep, and incarcerating them in debtor’s prison.

America is recognized as the wealthiest nation in the history of the world. By comparison, people in America living in poverty still have a standard of living that surpasses most of Western Europe. In spite of America’s abundance, there is little joy among “The Haves” and there is great angst among “The Have Nots.” Both camps are composed of captives who need to be released from prison, and they both have members active in your local church. Set them free.

Joy is the spontaneous expression of a healthy, restored, robust soul. Entertainment is the world’s substitute for joy, and those who drink from that well are not quenching their thirst from a cultural Kool-Aid. They are dying of thirst from swallowing Satan’s salt water. Give them living water.

“Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful shouting; then they said among the nations, ‘The LORD has done great things for them.’ The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad.” Psalms 126:2

“Then” is one of those words that God loves to use as a tipping point in the middle of what appears to be an encounter with the impossible. By itself “Then” does not hold great significance. Thanks to the Blue Letter Bible Commentary I know it is, “a demonstrative adverb; at that time or place; also as a conjunction, therefore: beginning, for, from, hitherto, now, of old, once, since, then, at which time, yet.” See what I mean.

It comes as no surprise that parents do not select “Then” as a biblical name for their children. Perhaps they should. When “Then” is attached to the power and The Presence of The Living God the tipping point of a crisis is transformed into a turning point in the life of a child of God. Never underestimate “Then.”

My father, Don Miller, was fond of reminding me that prayer has the capacity to transform the “impossible” into the “HIMpossible.” This only happens…EVERY TIME.

The Dreamers are the children of God who have been set free from captivity. They exhibit a robust, healthy personal plumpness and a corporate countenance of joy that cannot be hidden from a world starving for it. While feasting on laughter they still hunger for joy. Scripture reminds us that when they see it, they don’t envy it. They praise God for it.

“The LORD has done great things for them.”

NOTE TO SELF: Don’t rob yourself of joy by willingly signing over your assets to a false god offered up to you by a real thief. God can turn your place of captivity into a turning point. He releases your debts and restores your dreams. Prayer empowers you to dream again.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Creator

“Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.” Psalms 124:8

After winning the Iowa caucus a Presidential candidate began his victory speech with, “To God be the glory.” It was a heartfelt expression of gratitude, and a welcome relief from the barrage of braggadocio and bravado that usually accompanies a win or a spin in the political arena. This was no spiking of the ball in the end zone. It was a bowing of his head before Almighty God. How refreshing.

This same candidate went on to remark in his speech that the rights of the individuals in this nation do not come from the Democratic, Republican or Tea Party, but are the gifts of The Creator. It was a reference to one of the earliest founding documents of this nation.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Declaration of Independence July 1776

The Honorable Bob McEwen, former six-term Congressman from Ohio, offers a colorful definition of these self-evident truths. He says, “This is a gracious Jeffersonian way of saying, ‘Any fool ought to understand this.’ “ Thanks for clearing the air, Bob.

The Psalmist encouraged people to worship The Creator, not as a force of nature or a benign, benevolent concept. He recognized The LORD as an active participant in the lives of His children, coming to their aid in the face of enemies who sought to do them harm.

“’Had it not been the LORD who was on our side,’ Let all Israel now say, ‘Had it not been the LORD who was on our side when men rose against us, then they would have swallowed us alive, when their anger was kindled against us.” Psalms 124:2

During the Civil War Abraham Lincoln was often asked if he thought God was on his side. His response was to remind people he wanted to make sure that he was on God’s side. Good answer.

Violent, angry opposition has the power to overwhelm the strongest believer. The Psalmist describes this as a man-made flood with the capacity to sweep over one’s soul and to swallow up one’s faith in God.

“When their anger was kindled against us; then the waters would have engulfed us, the stream would have swept over our soul; then the raging waters would have swept over our soul.” Vs. 3b-5

The Psalmist’s heart-felt joy at having survived these verbal attacks from vicious people could not be contained. He shouted with unbridled praise for all to hear.

“Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us to be torn by their teeth.” V. 6

Survival led to revival when the Psalmist realized not only had he escaped from the snare of the trapper, but the trap was destroyed. He didn’t take the credit for the victory. He gave all the glory to God. When leaders do this, people follow their lead.

NOTE TO SELF: The Psalmist got it right. Bad things do happen to good people. Never forget it! God takes sides to make things right. Prayer gives God the elbowroom for Him to do it in your life, and your nation. Praise honors Him when He does it. Do both. When He does it for you, don’t steal the credit. Give Him the glory. Prayer kills your desire to spike the ball in the end zone, and bows your head before your Creator.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Protector

"The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever." Psalms 121:7-8

Nothing in this world compares with the promises of God. They are secured by His strength, and sustained by His sovereign will.

With unbridled audacity, The Psalmist praises God's capacity to protect His children from "all evil." This is not an ambivalent platitude, but an unconditional declaration.

If the author had been anyone other than David, these words might be considered delusional pap, motivational mumbo jumbo or at best ministerial license. They are the truth, "from this time forth and forever."

David knew what it was like to be in harm's way, from man and beast. He had not seen all the evil in the world, but all the evil he had seen didn't blind him from seeing God's hand of protection from "all evil."

David's vision always improved when he "inquired of the LORD" before, during and after fighting with evil. Yours will too. Rushing in where angel's fear to tread does not feed your faith. It only intensifies your fear. When David's heart started drifting from God, he stopped inquiring of God. It never ended well for him. Don't expect it to end well for you.

David's was not a man of peace. His life had been filled with the war between good and evil. Sometimes the battle came at him with the face of a friend or one of his family members. Sometimes he had to face down entire armies.

David's greatest conflicts would always be waged on the battlefield of his heart. This is where the enemy is most subtle, and you are the most vulnerable. Protect your heart. Place it in God's hands and stay by His side.

Warning: When you lose your heart for prayer, it is flashing light on the dashboard of your life that you are losing your heart for God. Pray now or pay later.

Evil is relentless, but not limitless. All evil is designed and driven by an ancient enemy. God knows the tactics, resources, and the limits of this enemy. Your fear magnifies the enemy's strength. Your faith shrinks its power over you. Prayer starves your fear and feeds your faith.

Running from God and facing evil in your own strength is a recipe for disaster. Prayer turns retreating warriors into trusting worshipers. This song of praise declares the hedge of protection God's character provides for His sheep. Stop watching the enemy. Maintain eye contact with The Protector.

Prayer is not a plastic pocket protector that you place over your heart to guard you from "all evil." It is not symbolic or optional. It is essential, intimate and intense communication with The Protector. In the face of "all evil," seek His face. Pray early and often. The battle is the Lord's, but prayer enables you to see Him at work on your behalf dealing with "all evil."

David's battle scars were a road map to God. They reminded him that the safest place in the world was under the protective, shepherding hand of God. Sheep wander. Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice." When you face evil, listen to Jesus. He will always call you to prayer.

NOTE TO SELF: Don't be deceived. God's protection from "all evil" does not offer you an immunization from evil. It is a reminder of the offer of His protection in the battle against evil. God intends for you to confront evil. When you walk by His side, you can expect a fight!

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!