40 Days with the Risen Christ: Day 5

“Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
John 20:21

In John’s eyewitness account, Jesus revealed Himself to the disciples huddled in the Upper Room. He complements Luke’s documentation of the same event, by providing additional insight into the mission of The Risen Christ.

At the same time Jesus revealed the power of His resurrection, He also gave His disciples a new sense of direction. He offered them peace and purpose. He still does.
When the disciples saw Jesus standing in their midst, the power of His resurrection raised more fear than faith. Jesus not only met them at the point of their need, but He pointed them to His purpose.

“As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

Receiving peace in their hearts was not His purpose for their lives. The Risen Christ had a much greater mission in store for them. The once fearful, now peaceful disciples had witnessed the power of His resurrection in the Upper Room. They would experience the power of His resurrection on another level, only when they left the room.

The contemporary church puts a great deal of emphasis upon gathering people together to find peace in their hearts. Offering peace without purpose may lead to a calm heart, but it robs a person of the great adventure of a burning heart. Don’t settle for anything less.

The first words out of the mouth of The Risen Christ carried the impact of a double-edged sword. Jesus calmed His disciples with peace, but He commissioned them with His purpose. Without embracing both His peace and His purpose the mission of the church always deteriorate into less than Jesus had in mind. Jesus called His followers to penetrate the culture like a mobile M.A.S.H. unit, not to self-medicate themselves with a false sense of serenity.

The contemporary church would be wise to put “Peace be with you,” on the welcome mats of the front porch, but have all the exits marked with, “You are now entering the mission field.” His Peace and His purpose are the vital signs of a healthy church and the balanced life of a true disciple.

“Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.” Charles (C.T.) Studd, British missionary to China & The Congo 1860-1931

NOTE TO SELF: Peace is not found by escaping your crisis of faith. It is found by seeking the power of the resurrection in the midst of the battle. Answered prayer often begins with your first gasp of fear. Don’t be surprised when The Champion answers your prayer by calling you to join Him in His shout of victory, not by giving you a sigh of relief. Be calm, but be on mission. Praying in His Presence brings you His peace and points you to His purpose.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

40 Days with the Risen Christ: Day 4

“And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
Luke 24:49

For forty days, The Risen Christ gathered His disciples, and taught them about the Kingdom of God. Luke provides an account of The Savior’s evening message to His disciples. On His Resurrection Day, stepping into The Upper Room, Jesus outlined the underlying theme of His teaching.

“I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you.”

The Risen Christ prepared His disciples to receive the promise of His Father, prior to carrying out His mission. The promise is nothing less than the Person and the power of the Holy Spirit. He warned them. No promise, No power.

“But you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

The great danger of the contemporary church is their relentless zeal to engage a temporary culture without being clothed with eternal power. Like an ornamental fruit tree, too many churches produce abundant foliage without bearing real fruit.

The promise of power is not offered for the church to provide shade without substance. People living in darkness, do not need more shade.They need light.

Vacation Bible School children were taught to sing with child-like innocence and complete confidence.
“This little light of mine. I’m going to let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel? NO! I’m going to let it shine.
LET IT SHINE. LET IT SHINE. LET IT SHINE.”

Candles gleaming in the night have been replaced with eye-popping websites, clever branding, slick promotional campaigns, and well-orchestrated and scripted stage shows. They have proven to be a poor substitute for child-like faith, filled with the promise of supernatural power.

For 2,000 years the church has flirted with offering people what they want, by providing them with what little they have, while giving God the glory for it. Promising more than they can deliver, prayerless churches have offered hopeless people high hopes without delivering “power from on high.”

Samuel Chadwick, English Methodist Evangelist, was called “The John Wesley of the 20th Century.” His ministry was marked by the complete transformation of lives in some of the toughest mill towns in Great Britain. In his latter years, he was a professor and mentor to Leonard Ravenhill. Chadwick described seeing the power of the resurrection released upon the churches of his nation.

“Nothing would turn the nation back to God so surely and so quickly as a Church that prayed and prevailed. The world will never believe in a religion in which there is no supernatural 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

The Risen Christ warned His disciples of the danger of carrying out His mission without being clothed with His power. The Spirit of The Living Christ never promises more than His Father can deliver. Full of themselves, and not the Spirit, prayerless and powerless people always will.

NOTE TO SELF: Stop wrapping yourself and Christ’s church in the fake fig leaves of your personal power. Don’t be in such a hurry to tell more than you know, and to share more than you have. Be clothed with power from on high. Never confuse your phony foliage with The Fruit of The Spirit. Jesus said, “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” He was talking to you. You will find the substance of His power by praying in His Presence.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

40 Days with the Risen Christ: Day 3

‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?’ “
Luke 24:38

When Jesus asked this question, He framed it within the context of His Presence. His point is well-taken.

A troubled and doubtful heart is evidence of the need for the calm assurance that is available when Jesus is present. When trouble and doubts arise in your heart, they are no match for The Risen Christ.

Luke's account of The Resurrection Day ends with Jesus appearing in The Upper Room, revealing Himself to His confused and frightened disciples. As they heard the amazing report of two of their trusted and breathless friends, fresh from a seven mile uphill climb from the village of Emmaus, "Jesus stood in their midst." v. 36

Jesus didn't arrive in the room with great fanfare. This time there was no rising crescendo of an angel army announcing His entrance. He softly stepped into the room and into the lives of His followers with all the calmness and quietness of the desert dew settling over a parched landscape. Still...

"They were startled and frightened." v. 37

This fresh encounter with The Risen Christ did not boost their self-confidence. It struck fear in their hearts. They would not be the last followers of Jesus to respond to answered prayer with unbelief.

Many times over the last 2,000 years the church has called for prayer, but then responded to answered prayer with awestruck amazement, by blurting out, "I can't believe it!" Thank God He answers prayer whether people believe it or not.

Jesus appeared to His disciples in the flesh. He had bone structure, a beating heart, nail-scarred hands and feet. He invited His disciples to be in touch with Him. He still invites people to be in touch with The Body of Christ.

"See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." v. 39

As His disciples warmed up to The Presence of Jesus, their fear and trembling were replaced by joy and amazement, but their belief in Him still wavered. Their energetic expressions of emotion and enthusiasm did not reveal a development of genuine belief. Sometimes they do.Sometimes they don't. Don't trust in emotion. Trust Jesus.

"They still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement." v. 40

Jesus took them to another level of belief by requesting they share their meal with Him. Unfortunately many people in the contemporary church have distorted this question and corrupted it into the mission of the church.

"Have you anything here to eat?" v. 41b

The Risen Christ ate a bit of fish with the disciples to prove He was alive in the flesh, not just a fleeting spirit or a figment of their imagination. Jesus immediately fed them from the Word of God. He still does.
Any church seeking to be a true representation of The Body of Christ will always feed their people with The Scriptures. The Risen Christ reminded His disciples...

"...all the things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." v. 44

When the church leadership fails to be open-minded to understanding the Scriptures, they lean on their own understanding. This fails to truly open their minds, but it definitely lets their brains fall out.

"Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures..." v. 45

Anyone seeking to be a part of a church that represents the Body of Christ will be more concerned over what they are being fed from the pulpit on Sunday morning than what is on the menu at the Fellowship Supper. Never trade eternal soul food for temporary heartburn.

Jesus called His disciples to proclaim in His name a message of "repentance for forgiveness of sins" to all the nations. Anything less is not the gospel.

Proclaiming forgiveness without repentance is not an act of generosity to people seeking God's grace. It is an act of treason to the Kingdom of God. The Risen Christ was clear...

"...that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning with Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things." v. 47

NOTE TO SELF: Don't be so open-minded that your brains fall out. You are called to be a witness. Show people how to let go of their sin. Proclaim to them how to find His forgiveness by turning around and getting in touch with Jesus. The sense of His Presence is only a prayer away.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

40 Days with the Risen Christ: Day 2

“While they were telling these things, He stood in their midst and said to them, 'Peace be to you.' But they were startled and frightened and thought they were seeing a spirit. And He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?’ “ Luke 24:36-38

After blessing and breaking the evening bread, two hot-hearted disciples recognized Jesus. Two things happened in the little village of Emmaus that night. Jesus immediately vanished from their sight, and the two disciples returned that very moment to the city of Jerusalem.

No longer demoralized by their crisis of faith, they were energized by the sight of Jesus stepping into the middle of it. Jerusalem, the site of their greatest defeat in life would become the platform to share with others their greatest joy. Jesus only does this…EVERY TIME.

God always delivers some of His greatest gifts wrapped in frightening packages. It has always been God’s way of transforming fear into faith and turning bitter resentment into sweet contentment.
Joseph was sold by his brothers into slavery, and elevated by his owner to the status of a prince of Egypt. His unlikely story of redemption remains a prototype for the way God still works.

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. So do not be afraid.” Genesis 50:20-21

Traveling seven miles uphill, through the dark of night, the faith filled disciples found their frightened friends. Huddled together in the Upper Room, they shared their amazing story.

The frightened disciples in the Upper Room faced another set of facts about The Resurrection. They were still filled with fear. Facing the facts, without coming face to face with Jesus won’t increase faith. Putting trust in the facts often increases fear. Getting face to face with Jesus conquers fear. Stop facing the facts.
Get face to face with Jesus.

While sharing the story of their personal encounter with The Risen Christ, on the Road to Emmaus, Jesus stood with them. He still does. (Luke 24:30-36)

The Risen Christ stood in the midst of His followers and offered them peace. Peace is the byproduct of overcoming fear of the facts with faith in Him. He did not show them more facts. He showed them His face. He is still The Prince of Peace. Prayer puts you face to face with Jesus.

Jesus showed up when two discouraged disciples told of their journey from fear to faith. Like two starving beggars telling others where they could find bread, they told their story. Tell yours.

Jesus provides peace, not by providing an absence of conflict, but by offering His Presence to you in the middle of it. Faith increases by embracing His Presence when encountering head on collisions with fear. Fear is conquered, by facing it, not by racing from it.

NOTE TO SELF: Never underestimate the power of your personal testimony, and never over-estimate your fears. What you have seen Jesus do in your life cannot be taken away from you, unless you allow fear to rob it from you. Prayer enables you to see Jesus standing with you when you share what you have seen Him do in your life.

Prayer allows you to see His hands working with you in the middle of your crisis. Prayer transforms your faith by giving you the courage to face your fears. Look into the face of Jesus. Jesus doesn’t panic at the sight of your crisis. Look into His eyes and take courage from His calm. Prayer provides the night vision you need to see your way through the darkness.

Never doubt in the dark what you know to be true in The Light of His Presence. Be calm.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

40 Days with the Risen Christ: Day 1

“To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.” Acts 1:3

Luke’s account of The Acts of the Holy Spirit provides insight into the post-resurrection mission of The Risen Christ. For forty days Jesus gathered together His disbanded and discouraged disciples, and confronted them with proof of His resurrection. He didn’t celebrate with them the day of His resurrection from the grace. “Speaking of things concerning the kingdom of God,” He mobilized them to embrace His mission on earth.

Annually, the contemporary church invests vast amounts of money and man-hours into the preparation for and the celebration of Easter. From hovering helicopters raining down plastic eggs to grand pageants lifting up beautiful music, Easter Sunday is set aside to honor The Resurrection of The Lord.
Expectations for this day run high. Extra chairs are set up in anticipation of great crowds of guests coming to church for the first time, and wayward sheep returning to the fold, one more time. Easter Sunday is a great day. It just doesn’t get any better than this. Or, does it?

The morning after The Resurrection the discouraged and disbanded disciples were far from being filled with the power of the resurrection. Angelic messengers had delivered the great news of the resurrection, but somehow something was missing. The something missing was Someone. The disciples were in possession of information about Jesus, but they were not in touch with His Presence.

Possessing accurate information and an adequate explanation about the resurrection of Jesus were poor substitutes for a transformation by Jesus. For 40 days Jesus would offer it to them, by inviting them into His Presence.

Speaking to them about the Kingdom of God was not an education about His mission. It was a mobilization of His disciples to join Him in His mission. For forty days the disciples would renew their fellowship with Jesus. Walking with them and speaking to them as The Risen Christ, Jesus offered them a great privilege of personal intimacy, but an even greater call to personal responsibility.

During His final forty days on earth, Jesus explained how it was to their advantage to leave them and return to His Father. In His absence, He promised to provide them with the power of His Presence. They would end their 40 Days with The Risen Christ, and begin a 10 prayer meeting in the Upper Room, waiting for The Promise of The Father. Within 50 days of The Resurrection of The Lord, Jesus Christ, The Spirit of The Living Christ would birth the church. It does get better than this.

There is no power for His mission without the power of The Resurrection. There is no power of The Resurrection without intimacy with His Presence. Fifty days after The Resurrection, The Spirit of The Risen Christ was going to turn their possession of information about the resurrection into an obsession with Christ’s mission.

One of the great battle cries of the celebration of Easter is, “It’s Friday…Sunday’s coming!” Without appropriating the power of the resurrection, this battle cry of Easter becomes the last gasp of the church before the dog days of summer. Don’t let it happen to you or your church. For the next 50 days, embrace personal intimacy with The Risen Christ and prayerfully PREPARE FOR PENTECOST!

NOTE TO SELF: Make sure you have all systems set to go for a great Easter celebration of The Resurrection of The Lord, but never let your systems overshadow the Savior. The power of the resurrection is not found in celebrating an empty tomb. It is discovered, by surrendering your life to The Risen Lord one breath at a time. He is praying for you to join Him on His mission.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

Seven days with Jesus: Day 7 -- Pray for Hope

“While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into Heaven.” Luke 24:51

 Mel Gibson’s epic film, “The Passion,” provided a powerful portrayal of the events swirling around and ending with the crucifixion of Jesus. To his credit, Mr. Gibson put his heart and soul into this project, leaving very little to the viewers’ imagination. Every detail of the sights and sounds of that brutal experience was included. Nothing appeared edited or sanitized to make it more acceptable to the audience. It was riveting, and repulsive.

 Anyone who views “The Passion” will be confronted with the mind-numbing cruelty poured out upon Jesus. It is impossible for even the most calloused-hearted cynic to leave without a deeper appreciation for the price The Savior paid on the cross.

Like “Titanic” and “Gettysburg” there is no secret about how “The Passion” ends. Jesus died. Though the closing scenes hinted at the rest of the story, some may have missed it. Wait for it. SPOILER ALERT: Jesus is alive!

 Following His resurrection, The Risen Christ gathered His discouraged and defeated disciples around Him. For 40 days, He walked and talked with His disciples, sharing with them His vision about The Kingdom.

 “To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. And gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what The Father had promised.” Acts 1:3-4

November 10, 1942, Winston Churchill delivered a speech to the mayors of England, entitled, “The Bright Gleam of Victory.”

During the darkest days of World War II, Churchill took the stage to give hope to the leaders of his nation. After a great victory in North Africa, he celebrated with them, but reminded them the final victory was still ahead.  Filling his nation’s leaders with hope, Churchill rallied them to finish the fight against a relentless enemy.  

 “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” Winston Churchill

After saying a blessing over His disciples, Jesus ascended into Heaven. He had told them it was to their advantage for Him to go way, but He would not leave them helpless or hopeless. He would provide them power of the resurrection through the promise ofThe Person of The Holy Spirit.

 “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away the Helper shall not come to you, but if I go I will send Him to you.” John 16:7

“This promise is no lullaby for the faint-hearted. It is a blood transfusion for courageous living.” E. P. Hovey

 The sight of The Risen Christ rising into Heaven must have heart thrilling and bone chilling. Peter, the strongest among them, had a dismal track record of failure, and in their own strength, the rest of the disciples had very little prospect of victory. While they were looking into Heaven, angels were sent to deliver a message of hope.
 
“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into Heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11

Peter led the disciples back to the upper room to obey the last command of Jesus.  For ten days the disciples would pray for The Promise of The Father.

 “These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer.” Acts 1:14

 Peter never led with more purpose and was never more on point than when he led a ten-day prayer meeting. The contemporary church needs no less of the power of the resurrection. The Spirit’s power is always found by obeying the command of The Savior to pray and to wait for the promise of God.  Anything less will not call down the power of Heaven so desperately needed for victory on earth. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus were all a prelude to the Acts of The Holy Spirit. The victory Jesus won over death, hell and the grave was a prelude to the same victory the Spirit of the living Christ provides for His obedient followers today. Celebrating the crucifixion of Jesus without appropriating the power of His resurrection leads to defeat, not victory. A praying church reveals the power of the resurrection.

NOTE TO SELF: Jesus is praying for you. Can you hear Him?  Prayer opens your eyes to see Jesus seated at the right hand of The Father, and prayer tunes your ears to hear the sound of His voice. The power of the resurrection is a breath away. Pray your way into His Presence with a fresh breath of obedience.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

Seven days with Jesus: 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

After His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus confronted two discouraged disciples. He found them leaving Jerusalem and heading down the Road to Emmaus. They had experienced a tidal wave of chaos and confusion, as they witnessed the death of the man they loved.  The Liar had used the crucifixion to crush their faith. They discerned that all they had believed was only another dead end street. Nothing could have been further from “The Way, The Truth and The Life.”   

After waiting three days in Jerusalem, these two disciples lost hope in the resurrection of Jesus and started a seven-mile journey downhill back home to try and pick up the pieces of their lives. They were walking and talking about a crippling crisis in their lives without praying for the discernment they needed to make sense of it. It simply didn’t matter how blinded they were to Him. Jesus came to their rescue anyway.

“While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him.”
v. 16

Approaching these dazed and confused disciples, Jesus interrupted their intimate conversation. Refusing to be ignored, He asked them what they were discussing.

“What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?”
v. 17

Both stopped in their tracks. One remained speechless, but the other reacted with harsh words bordering on anger dripping with sarcasm.

“And they stood still, looking sad. One of them, named Cleopas answered and said, ‘Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?”
v. 17b -18

Responding in kindness, rather than reacting in kind, Jesus asked, “What things?” Prayer doesn’t inform Jesus of your crisis. Prayer releases your crisis into His hands. Holding onto to your problem with a white-knuckled grip is not courageous. It is foolish.

Jesus didn’t interrupt their discussion about Him to gather information. He encountered these disciples to stop their conversation about Him and turn it towards Him. Jesus knew first hand about all “The Things” that had happened. Jesus needed no information from them. The disciples needed an explanation from Him. This is the power and purpose of prayer. Praying in the name of Jesus brings you face to face with God. Talking is consumed with delivering information to God. He doesn’t need it. Praying is focused on receiving God’s explanation to you. You need it. Stop talking. Start praying.

“He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.”
v. 27

For seven miles, Jesus unpacked the Scriptures, from Genesis to Malachi, explaining everything they had seen was foretold in the past, necessary in the present, and provided hope for the future.

“It is amazing what God can do with a broken heart, if you give Him all the pieces.” Samuel Chadwick

“And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther. But they urged Him, saying ‘Stay with us.’ “
v. 28-29

The disciples made the wisest decision of their lives when they urged Jesus to stay with them. The mutual experience of a burning heart drew them closer to Him and to one another. They invited Jesus to share a meal with them. As He prayed over their food, and they received it from His hands, they immediately discerned His Presence.

“He took the bread and blessed it...Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him.”
v. 30-31

When Jesus prayed “Then” the disciples discerned His Presence. The powerful prayers of Jesus continue to open the eyes of those who choose to have fellowship with Him and linger in His Presence. Rather than blindly walk down a dark road, trying to wrap their heads around what had happened, they followed their hearts. Wise men still listen to the prayers of Jesus, and with burning hearts find courage to tell others about Him. This is the power of the resurrection.

“They said to one another, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?”
v. 32

The disciples mutually discerned their hearts burned with The Truth of Christ’s explanation from the Scriptures. They not only felt the heat. They shared The Light. They headed back up hill to Jerusalem, walking seven miles in the dark to deliver The Light to people in need of hope. Jesus is alive!

“And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, saying, “The LORD has really risen…”
v. 33-34

NOTE TO SELF: Prayer releases the power of the resurrection

in you. It is not a nightlight to comfort you in the dark. Prayer enables you to discern the Presence of the Risen Christ in the middle of the endless mundane and the senseless insane crises of your life. Prayer doesn’t inform Jesus of your crisis. Prayer makes sense out of it. Jesus calls you to prayer to discern what His Father is doing in the middle of your crisis. Pray to Jesus, “Stay with us!” He always does.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

Seven days with Jesus: Day 5 -- Pray for Release

“Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT.” 
Luke 23:46

When Jesus prayed to His Father, he drew strength from praying the Word of God. You will too. Consider the context of His prayer..

“In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be ashamed. In Your righteousness deliver me. Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly; be to me a rock of strength, a stronghold to save me. For You are my rock and my fortress; for Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me. You will pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, for You are my strength. Into Your hand I commit my spirit.”
Psalms 31:1-5

Praying the Word of God honored the character of God, and released His will into the hand of God. It will do the same for you.

The 21st Century understanding of commit is more associated with a white-knuckled grip than a complete release. In the 1st Century the word did not mean an intensified effort to a difficult task. It meant releasing an impossible task into the hands of someone else. Commit referred to letting go of one’s life and property and placing it before another person who could be trusted to keep it and invest it. Letting go led to freedom. Holding on led to prison. Jesus held on long enough to the cross to complete the task God had given Him, but He let go of it when God said, “Enough is enough.”

“Our greatest contribution to that (revival) 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,”
OS Guinness

Praying and releasing Himself into the hand of His LORD, Jesus trusted the character of His Father to be His keeper. Praying the Word of God affirmed God’s character as Jesus endured the worst trials of His life. His last agonizing moments upon the cross were filled thoughts of God as His refuge, deliverer, listening ear, strength, stronghold, savior, rock, fortress, leader and guide who would pull him out of the net set for Him.

Jesus turned to the Word of God in prayer to focus upon The Truth. Satan remains the father of lies. Praying the Word of God affirms The Truth, and exposes the liar. Pray!

Jesus prayed His way to the cross, and stayed on the cross to complete the redemptive plan of God. Jesus told His followers they must take up their own cross and follow Him. The power of the resurrection is unleashed in you by your own obedience to a very personal crucifixion.

“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Luke 9:23

The Apostle Paul didn’t just point the early church down this path to a personal Calvary. He led the way.

“I affirm, brethren, the boasting in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.”
1 Corinthians 15:31

Self-denial doesn’t mean denying yourself certain things. It means embracing your certain death.  Denying yourself the right to live is not an inconvenient fast. It is a permanent death. Dying to self should not be confused with a one-time event. It is an ongoing exercise. Paul said he died daily. It may take more. Don’t settle for anything less.

Paul refused to underestimate his capacity to try and escape the cross of Christ by claiming his own rights. He prayed his way to the cross, and prayer kept him there until Jesus completed His work in him.

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will complete it, until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 1:6

In the early 1990’s before the fall of the communist regime in Romania, I remember listening to Pastor Tson speak on “The Theology of Martyrdom.” Exiled from his home country for preaching the gospel, he expressed concern about the use of the word “commitment” to describe the life of faith in the American church. He was unfamiliar with it, and distrusted it.

In Romania the only commentaries available to him were printed prior to The 1917 Revolution. He knew the life of faith as “absolute surrender,” not personal commitment. He warned 10,000 Texas pastors gathered before him not to put their trust in their commitment. He told us to release ourselves to the cross of Christ and die. Commitment increases personal effort. Surrender releases the power of the resurrection.

“And when you do yield yourself in absolute surrender, let it be in the faith that God does now accept of it. That is the great point, and that is what we so often miss... be occupied with God... lookup to God... remember there is a God present that takes note of it, and writes it down in His book...” Andrew Murray

NOTE TO SELF: There is a big difference between increasing your own effort and releasing yourself into the hand of God. When you pray, Release Every Single Thing into the hands of Jesus. Find R.E.S.T. upon the cross, and die to self. Trust in the power of the resurrection to release in you the courage and the character of Christ, only God can provide.

TALK LESS! PRAY

MORE!

Seven days with Jesus: Day 4 -- Pray for Forgiveness

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

Moments after concluding His prayer in The Garden of Gethsemane, and yielding His will to The Father’s will, Jesus was attacked. His disciples were swept away in a swirling series of chaotic events. Everything they had believed appeared to be lost, and out of control. It wasn’t true.

Never forget this. Appearances can be deceiving. You will need persistent prayer to make sense out of life even in the best of times. During the worst of times, the forces of darkness will rob you of your capacity to place your confidence in a Sovereign God who has promised you that He has the power to bring the best of things out of what appears to be the worst of things.
Holding my 93 year-old father’s hand, during his final days in hospice, I heard him whisper words that had carried him through many trials and tests. The power of the resurrection was on his lips. Smiling in triumph he kept repeating,

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who are called according to His purpose.”
Romans 8:28

Allow the events surrounding The Crucifixion and The Resurrection of The Savior to be a vivid reminder of God’s power over the enemy’s deceit. When you are staring into the face of a demonic, intimidating, double-barreled weapon of chaos and confusion, draw your sword of The Spirit and call out to God in prayer. Christ is your Champion in the battle.

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

Praying His way into complete alignment with The Father’s will prepared Jesus to be a victor, not a victim. While He was praying, His ancient enemy entered into the hearts of witless, but willing men to conspire against the redemptive plan of God. They still do. Keep praying.
Soldiers seized Jesus under the cover of darkness, and led Him into chaotic and confusing collisions with the leaders of the religious and the political establishments. Jesus was not caught off-guard. Prayer had prepared Him to be a ready and willing participant in God’s plan. Men conspired their worst. God planned His best. He delivered forgiveness through His Son.

Prayer prepared Jesus for God’s redemptive plan, no matter whose hands God used or the consequences it carried. With His last prayer fresh upon His lips, Jesus experienced His betrayal by a false friend, false accusations and arrest, a rigged trial, abuse and mockery by political and religious leaders, the denial by a real friend, a near fatal beating by Roman soldiers, mocking humiliation before a mob, and an agonizing death upon The Cross. Through it all, Jesus stayed on His mission. He chose to forgive.

The body of Jesus would be beaten, bruised and broken by tough men, but prayer kept His heart tender to the hand of God. After His enemies had done their worst to Him, Jesus did God’s best for them. He forgave. Through the power of the resurrection, you can too.
The Apostle Paul was a willing participant and an eye- witness to Stephen’s death. While being stoned to death, Stephen prayed and echoed the words of His Savior on the cross. Looking into the face of The Risen Christ, he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Paul would never be able to forget what he saw the day Stephen died, interceding for his enemies.

“Then falling on his knees, he cried with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them!’ " Acts 7:60

The Assassin Saul became The Apostle Paul when he encountered The Risen Christ on the Road to Damascus. He appropriated the power of the resurrection he had witnessed in Stephen, by maintaining daily dependence upon and consistent companionship with The Risen Christ. He lived…

”That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings being conformed to His death; that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”
Philippians 3:10-11

The essential evidence of the fullness of the Spirit is the power of the resurrection. It was this power that filled Stephen with the grace to forgive his enemies. Paul found the power of the resurrection in embracing the fellowship of Christ’s suffering. He did not stiff-arm the trials, tears, tests and terrible people that came his way.

From a dark prison cell Paul kept his perspective through prayer and praise. “Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25
Paul prayed for the grace to release what was in his hands into the nail-scarred hands of The Risen Christ. Prayer released his white-knuckled grip on resentment towards his enemies, and empowered him to let it go. The Risen Christ transformed Paul’s resentment into contentment as Paul embraced the fellowship of His suffering.

“I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” Philippians 4:11

NOTE TO SELF: If you are still trying to punish a person you have not forgiven them. Remember, forgiveness doesn’t mean being a victim. It means you are a victor. Forgiving someone does not mean you are letting them get away with hurting you. Forgiveness means letting go of your right to get even with them for what they did to you. Forgiveness is not about denying the hurt. It is about releasing the pain. Jesus died to forgive you. You received His forgiveness by praying for Him to release you from your debts. You will never be more like Jesus than when you live to forgive. You will never be less like Jesus than when you can’t wait to get even. Stop saying to people, “I owe you one.” Collecting IOU’s will never let you live debt free.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

Seven days with Jesus: 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

After warning His disciples to pray, Jesus withdrew from them and began top pray to His Father. Jesus never allowed His love for the ministry to exceed His love for His Father. Jesus maintained a personal, private and persistent prayer life.

“And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray.”
Luke 22:41

How close does your walk with Jesus need to be? The answer may be found in your response to a very personal question, “How far can you throw a rock?” The distance is different for everyone, but make sure your prayer life never wanders farther away from Jesus than a stone’s throw. Why? The farther the disciples drifted from the personal Presence of Jesus, the more vulnerable they became to an attack of the enemy. The same thing will happen to you.

“Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” is a song that came from the heart and pen of gospel singer and songwriter Helen Lemmel, She produced a hymnal used by evangelist Billy Sunday for over a decade. She led a women’s choral group that was an integral part of the great evangelist’s ministry. A hundred years later, her words provide a sense of direction for the contemporary church.

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”
Helen Lemmel, 1863-1961

The private prayer life of Jesus sustained His personal intimacy with The Father, and it maintained the integrity of His public ministry for The Father. It will do the same for you. The turning point? Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Brokenness is not caused, by colliding with the enemy. It is the result of aligning yourself with the will of God. When Jesus came into The Presence of His Father, He prayed to align His will with His Father’s will.

Prayer is a weapon of spiritual warfare and Jesus used it against the schemes of the enemy. Prayer is not the hidden trick of an escape artist. Prayer prepared Jesus to face what was coming His way, not to escape from it. Still, never be hesitant to bring your requests to The Father in prayer. Jesus did. You can too.

“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from Me.”
v. 42a

Prayer doesn’t lead you to brokenness until your personal pride and preferences die. “MY” will must die before it is resurrected into “THY” will. This is the power of the resurrection. You will never experience the power of the resurrection without entering into a life of brokenness. Jesus described it as,

“Yet not My will, but Yours be done.”
v. 42b

Brokenness is a painful, purifying process. Don’t avoid it. Embrace it. Getting your own way looks like an open highway, but it is a dead end street. It brings pain without gain.

King Solomon was the wisest, the richest, and the most gratified man the world has ever known. When he came to the end of His life, he was pained, and drained, poisoned by a lifetime of guzzling the saltwater of self-gratification. He summed his life of pampered preferences with words of utter futility.

“So I congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living you are still living.” Ecclesiastes 4:2

Solomon said more than he knew when he congratulated the dead. Prayer breaks a man fighting for personal survival, until he falls at the threshold of personal revival. Prayerful people discover dying to self is painful but is required for brokenness. Prideful people discover living for self isn’t painless. It is just pointless.

The crucifixion was designed by the Romans to exert prolonged pain as long as possible and to postpone certain death until the last possible moment. Praying prepared Jesus to die to His will before He got to the cross. Jesus yielded His will to The Father’s will. Prayer focused His eyes upon the gain of the cross, not the pain of the cross. Brave men had been placed upon the cross before, but none of them had raced to it. Jesus embraced the pain of the crucifixion to release the power of the resurrection.

The power of the resurrection is released by the crucifixion of self. Dying to self is painful to your pride and preferences. Genuine, sustained brokenness hurts, but there is a purpose to the pain. It prepares you for intimacy with Jesus. Prayer conformed the will of Jesus to the will of His Father. Let it do the same for you.

“It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.” A.W. Tozer

NOTE TO SELF: More than Jesus wants you to do something for Him, He desires for you to spend time with Him. Never let your spirit of independence exceed the limits of your dependence. If you have wandered beyond the distance of a stone’s throw, you are in a dark place. Prayer moves you towards The Light.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!