Patient Obedience and Self-Control...

I have always been an outspoken person - that's just how God designed me. But just because that's how He made me, doesn't mean I've always used that characteristic in a good way and to bring Him glory. In fact, I've used my quick wit and sharp tongue to harm many people throughout my life. Having the ability to use words, written and spoken, in creative, persuasive ways is a blessing and a curse. In high school and college, it helped me win contests and awards; in teaching, it has helped me advance my ideas and connect to people; in my personal life, it has helped me break down the barriers that a disability can build. But the words of my sweet mother have echoed through my head since I was a teenager. "Debbie, your mouth is going to get you into more trouble than you know what to do with!" And she was SO right! That's the curse side of this ability. After teaching for a few years, I ran into my sixth grade teacher at my home church one Sunday. I immediately was transported back to her classroom and replayed the many times I was hateful to her - almost daring her to take me out to the hall and give me spats. Then I thought of my experiences on the other side of that relationship and how it feels as a teacher to be so disrespected. When the final amen was said, I caught up with  her and explained that I had been teaching for a while and just wanted to apologize for my behavior when I was in her classroom. She stared at me with cold, piercing eyes, and said, "You should apologize." WOW! That was like a slap in the face. I left there in disbelief and almost angry that she was so rude. But as I pondered that experience for several days, I began to realize her response came from the hurt I had caused her. God showed me how my actions and words - even as an eleven-year old - had had a lasting, negative affect on this lady. (As a side note, she must have pondered on it also because since then, any time I am in my home church, she seeks me out and is very sweet to me.) It also served as a lesson for me in how fragile my witness for the Lord is. When I am out of control - it will harm my influence for Christ.

The writer of the book of James had this to say about the tongue: "the tongue is a fire, the very word of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell...But no one came tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing." James 3:6-10. Those are very strong words! But so full of truth!

It takes patient obedience to tame the tongue. In fact, it is impossible - without obedience to the Holy Spirit. James said no one came tame the tongue - only through the Spirit, can one get a handle on it. Perhaps that's why God gave the Children of Israel an exercise in holding their tongue before they captured the city of Jericho. The account of taking that fortified city is found in Joshua 6.

The Israelites, who, according to scholars, numbered two million, had just crossed the Jordan River and entered the land promised to them generations before. Moses had died and Joshua was now their spiritual and military leader. Jericho was one of the oldest cities in the world. It had fortified walls that were in some places 25 feet high and 20 feet thick. It was the symbol of military power and strength for that part of the world and was considered invincible. But God is omnipotent! And he purposed that His people would take the city and root out evil from this promised land. Even before He laid out His plan for Joshua, He said to him, "See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its kings and the valiant warriors." (6:2) The victory had already been won; Joshua and his people just had to be obedient and claim the victory.

Now, God's plan to take the city seems somewhat absurd to us. Joshua was to take part of his army, followed by seven priests carrying trumpets, followed by other priests carrying the Ark of the Lord (which symbolized God's presence) and march around the city once a day for six days. As they were marching, they were to be silent! "You shall not shout nor let your voice be heard nor let a word proceed out your mouth..." (6:10) Okay, it's not like they were planning a sneak-attack. The guards on the watchtowers would see them and alert the city, and that many people marching around would surely stir up a dust cloud. And why do this for six days and allow time for the enemy to ready for an attack? It seems like a recipe for disaster! And then on a personal level, think how difficult it would be to march around that city, knowing you were going to attack it at some point, and not even whisper to the person beside you! I couldn't do it!

Joshua also tells them that on the seventh day, they would march around seven times, then the trumpets would blow, and Joshua would shout. When they heard him shout, they were to shout back. So, on the seventh trip around the city, the trumpets blew, Joshua shouted, and the people "shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat." (6:20) That's right...those 25 feet high, 20 feet thick walls fell down flat! Can you imagine the reaction of the Israelites and of the people in the city? When the wall fell down, the Israelites rushed in and took the city. They claimed their victory.

I don't know why God required silence for those six days. I can only surmise that, based on the history of these people, God had truths for them - and us - to learn.

• Patience is a virtue - it is also part of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22). It is NOT natural to man. As we draw closer in our relationship to Christ, the more the fruit of patience grows. The Israelites were having to grow patience as they marched and waited seven days before they took the city. I would have been saying, "Come on. Let's get this over with!" But God was having them wait - on Him and His timing. His timing is perfect.
• Self-control is also part of the fruit of the Spirit, and they were having to work on that as well! The fact that they had to march silently for those six days, was an excercise in self-control - holding their tongues, not grumbling, not asking why or when or how come. It also gave them time to reflect on the Lord. Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still and know that I am God." Sometimes we just need to be quiet and meditate upon the Lord and listen to Him. Too many times our tongues are flapping and we can't even hear God.
• Obedience is not part of the fruit; it the vine that grows the fruit. Without obedience there is no fruit in our walk with God. No love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. He desires and even demands obedience to Him and His Word. "...be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success." (Joshua 1:8) Obedience is the key to defeating our enemy, Satan, and the key to abundant life on this earth.

God wants us to have self-control, which is really Spirit-control, over our human nature. One of those areas for me is the tongue. How do I gain that control? By patiently being obedient to Him. When those three areas are clicking - patience, obedience, and self-control - I am able to claim the victory in all areas of my life that Christ has already won. Do I have perfect control of my tongue? No, not yet. But I can tell you that I have much more control than before. I am a work-in-progress, and as I march on with Him, He is perfecting me until that time when I will stand before Him, and I am claiming the victories along the way!

Sometimes, God Asks the Unthinkable...

My spiritual heart has always been torn between passion and reason. Since my teenage years, I have loved the Lord and wanted to serve Him. The passion-part of me wanted to say to Him, "I'll go wherever and do whatever You want!" The reason-part of me did say, "I'll go wherever and do whatever...within reason." In other words, I have put parameters on what I would do for God. Have you ever done that? If you have, you - like me - will never know what blessings we have missed.

We run into a man in Acts who was asked to do the unthinkable. It wasn't an easy decision, and he wrestled with the Lord over it. But, eventually, he decided to trust Him and be obedient - and it paid off with tremendous blessings. His name is Ananias, and his story is told by the writer of Acts in chapter  9 and then recounted by Paul in chapter 22.

Saul (later called Paul) was on his way from Jerusalem to Damascus with a letter from the high priest giving him permission to arrest anyone belonging to "the Way" and bring them back to Jerusalem to be tried. Saul was responsible for ravaging homes belonging to believers and having them imprisoned and even killed. Remember, he was present at the stoning of Stephen and even thought to be the overseer of that event. Saul was an educated Pharisee who violently rebuked the good news of Christ. He was powerful and influential. The believers in Damascus had heard that Saul was coming for them, and, undoubtly, were somewhat frightened even as they were learning to trust and stand tall in their faith. It is really hard for me to wrap my brain around the idea that someone would want me dead because of my belief and faith in Jesus Christ! That's where we, as Americans, are so very blessed...we don't face that kind of opposition to our faith - yet.

While on the road to Damascus, Saul encountered the risen Christ, and it changed his life. He was left blinded by the encounter and given instructions to go on to the city and wait. In the meantime, the Lord appeared to Ananias in a vision. Let's talk about Ananias for a minute. We know from the scriptures that Ananias was a devout Jew who believed Jesus was the Messiah and became a follower of "the Way." His name means "the Lord is gracious." He was a quiet leader of the church at Damascus who had a close walk with Jesus - so much so, that he recognized the Spirit speaking to him through his vision. I must admit that I don't always recognize when the Spirit is speaking to me. When I've been out-of-touch with Him, His voice is sometimes vague. Again, I have to wonder what have I missed because I didn't hear Him???

However, Ananias DID recoginize His voice, but he didn't like what he heard. God asked the unthinkable of him! Actually, He didn't ask; He told. God told him to go to this particular place and ask for Saul of Tarsus, that he would be found praying. Okay, let's look at this. Ananias knew who Saul of Tarsus was - the persecutor of Christians, the one who gave the nod to Stephen's death, the one coming to Damascus to do the same to him and the other believers! Ananias' reaction was swift, "Lord, he is coming here to do us harm, maybe even kill us, and You want me to present myself to him like a present? I can't believe what You are asking me to do!" (My paraphrase)

Wow! How many times in my life have I had the same "silent" conversation with God? I can't give You complete control of my life because You might ask me to do something I just don't think I can do! Or go somewhere I just don't think I can go. Or ask someone for forgiveness that I just don't think I'm ready to forgive. Or share Jesus with someone that just might not want to hear about Him. Or...the list goes on...

The Lord's answer to Ananias' concern was, "Go..."  So he did...and he found the blinded Saul who had encountered Jesus but needed someone to share with him how to go about this new life. Saul regained his sight, was baptized, spent several days with the disciples learning more about Jesus, and was empowered by His Spirit to preach His salvation. And the rest, as they say, is history. Paul became a missionary and church planter. God used Paul to take the gospel westward to Asia Minor, Greece, and eventually Rome. Paul authored 13 books of the New Testament. Paul, who once imprisoned believers, was imprisoned several times for being a believer. Paul, who persecuted believers, was perscuted because he believed.

It is easy to focus all the attention on Paul, but let's not forget Ananias. Saul was able to become the Paul we love because Ananias "went" when God told him to "Go." He trusted God and his passion for Christ when his reason told him to stay and play it safe. The experience of Ananias reminds us that we should never be afraid to obey God's will. Joshua 1:9 - "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

How many times has God asked the "unthinkable" of me? I know I have missed many blessings because I have yielded my passion to my reason. I can't retrieve those times, but I can NOT miss them in the future. That's my prayer - to hear like Ananias, to trust like Ananias, and to be used like Ananias. Who knows how many "Paul's" may be in my path?

When Life Looks Bleak...

How does life look to you right now? Is everything going your way and all is right with the world? Or are you at one of those junctions in life where things are not progressing the way you had hoped and dreamed? It is so much easier to smile and praise the Lord during our happy times than in our down times. Sometimes, we may even begin to wonder where God is and if He has abandoned us. No doubt, the most difficult step in our walk of faith is to trust Him when life is a bummer. It brings out the age-old question, "Why does a 'good' God let such bad things happen to good and or innocent people?"

That was the question discussed on the air-waves for weeks after the attacks of 9/11, and again, after the Tsunami hit Indonesia, and again, after the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Why would God allow such destruction? Obviously, I am not a scholar or a theologian (not a surprise if you've been reading my blog), but I can share what I've learned through personal experience and time with the Lord.

To begin with, I had to accept the fact that God is God - omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, and I am NOT. Therefore, I will never fully understand the mind of God and His ways until I am fully in His presence on the other side of this life. That usually doesn't set too well with the human mind that is inquisitive and strives for reason. "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1 - Our walk with Christ is a walk of faith. That has to be nailed down in order to move forward in that relationship.

With that said, God DOES allow bad things to happen to good people. However, His Word assures us that "Everything will work together for good, to them who love the Lord and who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28 - We saw that with the stoning death of Stephen in the book of Acts. That horrible death was the pivotal event that caused the newly-birthed Church to be ravaged by the likes of legalistic Jews like Saul. That persecution caused the Christians to scatter in all directions away from Jerusalem. It was the beginning of the fulfillment of the Great Commission - taking the gospel to "Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth." God used the murder of Stephen to spread the Good News to the rest of the earth - that was the "good" that came from his death.

God will use everything to work His purpose in this world. When life throws us a curve, we need to seek His will and purpose and not give in to the human nature of anger, bitterness, hatred, or even the desire for revenge. I know upfront that I won't be able to accomplish that on my own. My nature is so "human!" I must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit - God's power in me - to look for His purpose and His desired reaction. Sometimes, He wants us to do something immediately. He told the Jerusalem Christians to go - to leave Jerusalem for safety reasons, but, ultimately, to spread the Gospel.

Later in Acts, He told Paul and Silas to stay - in their prison cell - to spread the Gospel. Paul and Silas found themselves in the city of Philippi on their second missionary journey (Acts 16:12-40). Philippi was a Roman colony on the continent of Europe, and they continued to spread the Gospel westward. While there, they stirred up a commotion among the citizens when Paul cast out an evil spirit from a girl who had been following them and yelling at them for several days. The problem was with this slave girl's master. Once the evil spirit was gone, she could no longer make him money with her fortune-telling. Paul and Silas were eventually brought before the magistrate, who had them beaten, shackled, and thrown into prison. Their relationship with the Lord allowed them to be joyful - even in the midst of a deadly situation. By midnight, they were praying and singing hymns of praise - and the other prisoners were listening to them while the jailer had fallen asleep.

How could they be so full of joy after and during such an event? They were beaten with clubs and then their feet fastened into stocks. I can't really imagine how difficult it would be to endure such an attack. All through the book of Acts, we've seen how important prayer had become to those early believers. And in this dire situation, Paul and Silas once again turned to prayer. That is how their human nature of bitterness and desire for revenge did not overtake them. Their spiritual nature of peace and joy in whatever circumstances they found themselves in did take over. So much so, that they started singing - right there in the prison cell! The heavens reacted to their praise with a huge earthquake that shook the very foundation of the prison house - even causing the cell doors to open and their shackles to unfasten!

Here is where they had to really listen to the Holy Spirit and not their own. My spirit would have looked at those open doors and loose shackles, and said, "Run for your life!" But when the jailer did go in, ready to kill himself for letting the prisoners escape, there they were - all of the prisoners - not just Paul and Silas! Don't you know the jailer looked at those guys with astonishment? In fact, verse 29 says with trembling and fear he fell down before Paul and Silas and asked what he had to do to be saved! They told him, he responded, and he met Jesus! As far as we know, he was the first Roman soldier on European soil to become a believer and follower of Christ!

God used the difficult situation with Stephen. The Spirit told those Jerusalem Christians to go, which they did, and the gospel was spread throughout the region. God used the difficult situation with Paul and Silas. The Spirit told them to stay, which they did, and the gospel was spread to Europe. No situation we may find ourselves in is for naught in God's purposes. He will take whatever comes our way - good or not - and use it for His good - IF we allow Him access to our hearts.

If it hasn't happened to you yet, it will. Life will throw you a curve - probably several. You, all of us, will endure some type of suffering in this life. How will we react? Whenever I suffer, whether it's a little or a lot, I don't want it to be wasted suffering! I want to be spiritually able to release it to Him and let it be used for His purposes. I want to hear Him say, "Stay," or "Go". I want those times to be markers on my walk of faith that represent something good that He has done. What about you?

Author Inverview

Last semester, I had the privilege of leading Before His Throne, a Bible study written by Kathy Howard. It is a great study, and our group enjoyed it greatly. She has just released her newest study, and I am happy to recommend it to you.

Kathy Howard, a Bible study author and speaker, has been teaching the Bible for over 20 years. She’s taught a wide range of topics to an even wider range of students – everything from basic Bible stories at a middle school to teacher training for church leaders. Kathy particularly enjoys speaking at women’s events and retreats to encourage them in their faith. She has a Masters in Christian Education from the Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary and serves on a church staff in West Texas.

Kathy and her husband have three children and one son-in-law. They live in Midland, Texas, where Kathy is on staff at Fannin Terrace Baptist Church. When the family gets together there are also four dogs in the mix. Kathy writes to have something to do while drinking coffee. Find out about her Bible studies and speaking ministry and get discipleship and leader helps at her website: www.kathyhoward.org.

Unshakeable Faith, an 8-session Bible study for women by Kathy Howard, has just been released by New Hope Publishers. This study helps readers apply 8 key “faith traits” found in the life of Peter so they will be prepared to weather the harshest storms of life. Today we got to interview Kathy about her new Bible study!

Kathy, what prompted you to write on this particular topic?

Over the last few years, many Christian women I love and admire have endured difficult circumstances such as life-threatening illness, divorce, death of a child, and financial hardship. The quality of their faith significantly affected how they endured these trials and how God worked in them for His glory. God strengthened and guided them through their close relationship with Jesus.

Their experiences made me wonder how I would do in the same circumstances. Like most women, I manage to juggle the everyday things of life – work, family, ministry, and home life – without too much difficulty. But sometimes, even in just a small crisis, my self-sufficiency is shaken. Would I stand firm in really hard times or would these trials knock me flat? I began to ask God to show me how my faith could be prepared.

So why Peter? Why is he a good example for us to study?

Peter was just an ordinary man, a fisherman. He worked hard. He had a family and friends. Peter was passionate and a natural leader, but he was also headstrong and impetuous. Peter had sworn to follow Jesus unconditionally, no matter the circumstances. Yet on the night Jesus was betrayed, his faith wavered and he denied His Lord. But then several decades later Peter willingly faced martyrdom rather than deny Him again. This study is about what made the difference in Peter’s faith. Unshakeable Faith looks closely at Peter’s life and teachings to discover some of the key characteristics God built into his faith that helped him stand firm in the face of death. That’s the kind of faith I want to have.

What’s unique about this study?

I love to study God’s Word. Learning about God, His ways, and what He desires for us is wonderful. But if we don’t apply what He teaches us, let it shape our lives, then we fall short of the full purpose of study. Unshakeable Faith not only leads readers into learning God’s Word, but it also purposefully helps readers apply it. In addition to each week’s application section, there is a “Faith Shaker” story that helps us see how that faith trait works in real life. These stories are about real women who have faced a life trial with which many readers will relate. Readers get to see how their faith keeps them standing firm. A strong faith in Jesus Christ does work in real life!

Where can readers get a copy of Unshakeable Faith?

The study is available at most online bookstores and many Christian bookstores. If your local bookstore does not carry it more than likely they can order it for you. Here are a few links to online stores.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Unshakeable-Faith-Traits-RockSolid-Studies/dp/1596692979/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1295970163&sr=1-4

New Hope/WMU Bookstore: http://www.wmustore.com/product.asp?sku=N114134

Barnes & Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Unshakeable-Faith/Kathy-Howard/e/9781596692978/?itm=1&USRI=unshakeable+faith+by+kathy+howard

Christian Book Distributors: http://www.christianbook.com/unshakeable-faith-traits-rock-solid-living/kathy-howard/9781596692978/pd/692978?item_code=WW&netp_id=834962&event=ESRCN&view=details

Guitar Playing and Prayer???



A Rendition of My High School Days

At the end of 8th grade, I had major surgery on my leg to correct some issues caused by my bout with polio when I was two years old. The doctors warned my parents that I would be off my feet for about three months - or, as I saw it, the WHOLE summer! What a bummer! Back then, we had no computers, video games, cell phones, or many of the various other items available today to keep a kid somewhat occupied. I was in for one boring summer! I had been thinking for quite a while that I would like to learn to play the guitar. Now, you have to understand that I am a child of the 70's - a hippie-wanna-be! (Through my high school years, I had long, straight hair, lots of hippie beads, a curtain of beads at my bedroom door, and  wisps of incense burning in my room!) I thought playing the guitar and singing like Peter, Paul, and Mary or Simon and Garfunkel, or John Denver would be the bomb! My folks and I decided that I should put my energy toward that effort during my summer down-time. I had saved up some money, so I ordered a fairly nice guitar from the Sears catalogue. When it arrived, life, as I knew it, changed! I spent countless hours teaching myself several chords. I practiced so long that my finger tips developed blisters that eventually gave way to callouses.Then I worked on my rhythm and strumming techniques. By the end of the that summer, I was a guitar-playing fool! Over the next several years, that guitar brought me so much fun! I used it to teach Vacation Bible School and to lead the singing in my youth group and sometimes at Sunday night church. I didn't go many places without my guitar.

I am not an overly musical person. I love music, but I'm certainly not close to being "gifted" in that area. I had had a little musical training prior to my guitar years. My older sister was a very good pianist and taught me the basics of middle C, and I played clarinet in the 5th and 6th grade band - until I was "asked" not come back by the band director. (That's a story for another time!) But, for some reason, I ended up being pretty good on the guitar. No, it wasn't "for some reason;" it was because, for those three months, I devoted myself to learning to play. I'm talking hours at a time - practicing those chords and working on my rhythms and songs. I was truly devoted.

As I have read through Luke and half way through Acts, I see similar devotion played out in prayer. Jesus gave us several examples of devoted prayer in Luke and the other Gospels. As a side note, I am so glad God, in His infinite wisdom, sent Jesus to earth as a man! Not only did His coming provide our means of salvation, but He also showed us how to live a believer's life, how to experience abundant life, how to access God the Father, and how to interact with other people. Prior to beginning His formal ministry, Jesus was led by the Spirit to the wilderness for forty days (Luke 4:1-13). The scripture is definite in that He was led there to be tempted by Satan. Just like us, Jesus had to go through a refining process. But the scripture is also definite in that while He was there, He fasted and prayed. Jesus walked this earth as a man - don't forget that! He was showing us how to live out our earthly life God's way. Without spending "devoted" time in prayer and in the Word, man-Jesus could very well have taken Satan up on his offer to rule the world. Satan was and is the prince of this world and could have given the keys over to Him. Or after going a month without food, man-Jesus could have easily turned the stones into bread when Satan suggested it. But Jesus drew on the strength He was given through his devotion to the Father and refuted Satan's temptations with the Word of God.

Before Jesus began making the all-important decision of choosing the twelve men whom He would teach, He prayed. Luke 6:12 - It was at that time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them... Again, he showed us how important serious prayer is to our lives. Later, Jesus was arrested as He is returning from the Garden where He had been praying. Luke 22:39-46 - And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives...and He withdrew from them...and knelt down and began to pray...Scripture says that He was praying so fervently, that He was sweating drops of blood! Did you notice the as was His custom part?

Devoted means to commit to something completely, wholly. Fervent means marked by great intensity of feeling, passionate. That's the kind of prayer life Jesus had - because He knew the Father and had encountered the Holy Spirit.

In the disciples, we see a different kind of prayer life. All through the four Gospels, these twelve walk side-by-side with Jesus for three years, yet, we do not see a devoted prayer life. In fact, as they are nearing the climax of their three year journey and they go with Jesus to the Garden, and Jesus tells them to watch and pray - they fall asleep! Oh, how I relate to that! How many times have I've been caught "napping" when fervent prayer was needed! At times, I've been so out-of-touch with God that Satan has whispered, "You can't pray for that person; why, you aren't worthy to approach the Father because you haven't talked to Him in days! And now, you want to take this big need before Him? Who do you think you are?" Yes, I've been caught napping too many times.

But, when we get to Acts, the disciples' prayer life is very different. After Jesus ascends into Heaven, they gather in the upper room for several days "...continually devoting themselves to prayer." (1:14) Those prayers were answered in tongues of fire as the Holy Spirit rained down on them. As the church began to grow in Jerusalem, they continued to "...continually devote themselves to...prayer..." (2:42) and hundreds were being saved. And after Peter was arrested and imprisoned for the third time, the believers prayed. "So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God." (12:5) The result? An angel walked Peter out of prison and right up to the door of the prayer meeting!

What changed the way the disciples prayed? They went from knowing the man-Jesus to encountering the God-Jesus through the touch of the Holy Spirit in their lives. The man-Jesus showed them that by committing His life completely to God, a man could endure any thing Satan can throw at him, even Crucifixion. He could continue in this life focused on the Father no matter what happened to Him. Their personal experience with the risen Jesus through the person of the Holy Spirit empowered them to devote themselves to that life.

All of this gives me pause to reflect on my own prayer life. I have not been as devoted to prayer as I was devoted to learn to play the guitar! I have not spent hours at a time pouring myself out and bringing needs before the Father. My knees do not have callouses from hours of practice. I've been napping - way too long. Prayer is a powerful tool to be used as we traverse this life. Prayer is our secure line to the God who breathed all of this into existence. Prayer is necessary for me to grow in my walk with the Lord. And scripture assures us that fervent prayer is effective prayer. "The fervent (effective) prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much." James 5:16

It's time to wake up! Let's not nap any longer - It's time to become the prayer warriors He desires us to be!

Are You Full Of It?...

What is your comfort zone? Everyone has one - that place, either physically or emotionally, where you feel safe and the most comfortable. You may not think much about it until you are moved out of it. Then the uneasy feelings begin to creep in and you react. Some people react by shutting down, kind of like a turtle pulling his head back in his shell. Others react just the opposite, sometimes with a nervous giddiness. Then are those for whom getting out of the comfort zone causes a full-blown panic attack. Most of us are somewhere in between, depending on the day and the situation.

For me, personally, when I am asked or prodded out of my CZ, it usually calls for courage that is more than the daily deal. Sometimes it is courage to Act, and sometimes it is courage to not React!

The seventh and eighth chapters of Acts shows us two examples of men who were moved out of their comfort zone by the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. First, is Stephen. In chapter 6, Stephen and six others were set apart by the apostles to serve in a special role in the Jerusalem church. We generally refer to them as the first deacons. The church had grown so much that the apostles needed help with administrative and ministry duties so that they could concentrate on preaching and sharing the gospel. Stephen is described in 6:5 as "a man full of faith, and of the Holy Spirit." and in 6:8 as "full of grace and power who performed great wonders and signs among the people..." We don't know anything about this man before he was selected as a leader in the early church, but those few descriptions in the above mentioned verses tell a great deal.

Notice those verses repeat the saying "full of," thus, the emphasis in Stephen's life is "fullness." In scripture, to be "full of" something means to be controlled by that something. Paraphrased, that would read, "Stephen was controlled by faith, controlled by the Holy Spirit, controlled by grace, and controlled by power." I would say he was on "God-control!" Can you imagine living a life that full of the presence and power of God? Obviously, the apostles saw leadership qualities as well as a ministry spirit in him. So leading in the church and serving the widows may not have been too far, if at all, out of his comfort zone. However, I am going to take a leap here and say that preaching Christ and debating the same group of pharisees and high priests that had called for the execution of Jesus, was out of character for the "Before Christ" (BC) Stephen. He was so passionate in his zeal for the Lord that he was eventually stoned to death. Now that is out of anyone's comfort zone!

Phillip was another one of the deacons called out to lead the church. He is listed in 6:5 right after Stephen. We meet up with him again in Chapter 8, after the church was scattered throughout the regions. Phillip went out to share Christ in Samaria. Samaria would not be in most of these men's comfort zones. Samaria was a region north of Jerusalem populated by "half-breeds." - Jews who had, generations before, intermarried with foreigners from the east. Because of their "impurity," the Samaritans were hated by the Jews. In fact, Jews would travel out-of-their way to avoid passing through Samaria. Now that's bigotry! Remember, when they traveled, they traveled by foot and by caravans. To go miles out-of-their way so as to NOT have to interact with Samaritans, was the norm. Phillip's ministry in Samaria resulted in hundreds of new converts in that region and among non-Jewish people. On his way back to Jerusalem, an angel appeared to Phillip and said, "Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaze." (8:26-40) He obeyed, not having to know the reason or the outcome; he just obeyed. I'd say he was "full" of the Holy Spirit - just like Stephen. On that road, he saw a governmental caravan, and in the main chariot, was a man reading the book of Isaiah. Again, he obeyed the Spirit and caught up with the chariot and asked the man if he understood what he was reading. The guy, who just so happened to be a court official to the Queen of Ethiopia, said he needed someone to explain it to him. So Phil jumps aboard and tells the official about Jesus, beginning with the Old Testament prophecies all the way to His resurrection. The man accepts Jesus and stops to be baptized by the side of the road. Then Phil is miraculously whisked away and lands in another place to begin sharing the gospel.

I don't think I can wrap my mind around the importance and application of these stories. The best way for me to begin to understand is to look at the "what if's." What if Stephen hadn't ventured out of his comfort zone? Well, for starters, he most likely would not have been stoned to death! However, the flip side of that is what happened  because he was stoned to death.  Upon Stephen's death, the new christian church came under great persecution, and "they were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria...Saul [who later is renamed "Paul"] began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison." (8:1-3) As a result, Phillip took the message of Jesus to Samaria, and then, to Ethiopia by way of the court official he "ran" into on the road. Remember, the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20. And then, just before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told the disciples, "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."  (1:8) I'd say Ethiopia was pretty remote by their standards!

You see how the Lord took something that was not good - especially for Stephen personally - horrible, and used it for good? You see, we are never left without hope! Even when Stephen was being pounded by rocks until he literally died, he was gazing intently into heaven and saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God (7:55) and knew that his death would be used by God for good! God used the horrific persecution of the church and the imprisonment and death of many believers to spread the availability of salvation the the entire world. The gospel spread from it's core in Jerusalem to the uttermost parts of the earth like ripples on a pond. It was accomplished because believers who were full or controlled by the Holy Spirit were willing to leave their comfort zones and tell about Jesus.

I've been guilty of being "full of it" many times. But usually, I'm full of myself! What would God use me to accomplish if I were full of the Holy Spirit, i.e. controlled by the Spirit? If I were willing to leave my comfort zone and go and do whatever, wherever He directs? Only He knows the answer to that, but I have the same hope that Stephen and Phillip had - whatever it is, it will be for good.

Brash or Bold?...

I live deep in the heart of Texas (and am a Proud Texan!), and for four days, we've been frozen in one of the worst ice and snow events in many years. It has been in the teen's since Monday night (I am writing on Thursday) with just enough ice on the ground to bring nearly half of Texas to a grinding halt. Schools have been closed, and we've experienced rolling blackouts due to excessive energy needs across the state. Where we live, this is a rarity! My dogs really don't like this weather! Neither Lily, our Bichon, or Sis, our Rat Terrier, want to go out and do their business! You would think they are the most meek and mild little dogs in the world - until the Schwann man rings the doorbell. Then they morph into these dastardly beasts who bark and snarl like they are going to have the guy for lunch! Their brashness always amazes me, and frankly, wears me out! The only way I could get them to go outside this morning was to let them out through the garage. For some reason, an opening to the front yard spells freedom. They got so excited and start jumping and barking. I guess they didn't realize it is as cold in the front as it is in the back! So I opened the garage door and off they went, racing with each other to see who could get to the grass first. Only our driveway is still a solid sheet of ice, and when their little paws hit it, they both went sliding down the drive and into the street! That made me laugh!

However, there is another side to our dogs. For example, when I am kicked back in my recliner and Lily is laying across my lap, her bark becomes a growl, and she is one serious pooch who is filled with the "don't mess with my Momma!" mentality! If another dog even thinks about sniffing my feet, Lily strikes the "at attention" pose and really will try to take down even the biggest of dogs - like Rambo, our daughter's blue heeler. Her boldness to go against this dog who weighs probably five times her weight amazes me! BTW - I think she is more interested in protecting her territory than her master!

After reading the last chapters of Luke and the first few chapters of Acts, I started thinking about the difference between brash faith and bold faith. When you look those two words up, you find them both described as "confidence." But digging deeper into the nuisances of the words, you'll find a subtle but important difference.

Brash/brashness is the appearance of confidence. Cocky and reckless are its synonyms. (Dictionary.com)

Bold/boldness is confidence. Courageous and resolute are its synonyms. (dictionary.com)

It was Peter who recklessly cut off the ear of one the soldiers who arrested Jesus, and it was that same Peter who cowardly denied even knowing Him three times before He was murdered. Peter was a hot-head whose appearance of boldness was dimmed by his fear. Before he experienced the filling of the Holy Spirit, Peter's "faith" was iffy - at best. Obviously, there was something about Jesus that captivated him and caused him to alter his life and follow Him for three years. But his relationship with Jesus was not deep enough to alter his character.

That all changed with his Pentecost experience. When the Holy Spirit filled that upper room and filled those 120 people, it literally altered personalities! Peter went from the cocky, reckless young man who would fade when the pressure was on, to a courageous Apostle who perfomed supernatural works and resolutely proclaimed that there is no other name by which one might be saved but Jesus. He became a powerful preacher whose fearless faith allowed him to stand before thousands of people as well as the same officials who had crucified the Christ. Just as Jesus had said, Peter became the rock upon which the Christian church was founded.

Peter was transformed from brash to bold - by the power of the Holy Spirit working in his life. That kind of boldness requires courage to press on through our fears and do what we know is right. How can we get that kind of boldness? - the courage to proclaim the name of Jesus without backing down - no matter what...

The answer? Do what the disciples did:

1. pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to give you courage. Read the first four chapters of Acts and count how many times and how much time they devoted themselves to prayer!
2. look for opportunities in your family, social relationships and work circles to talk about Christ - and do it! When Peter and John were ordered by the officials to not talk about Jesus anymore, they said whether it is right in the eyes of the government or not, we can not NOT talk about Jesus (my paraphrase!).
3. realize that rejection, social discomfort, and embarrassment are probably going to come your way. Scripture tells us that Satan is the Prince of this world - and he HATES Jesus. It's not going to be easy to be a bold believer. and
4. start where you are by being bolder in small ways. The more you practice telling others about your Jesus, the more natural it becomes.

If you want to be a Brash christian with a little bite - don't worry about it. Most of us are already there! But if you want to be a Bold christian with a big impact for the Lord, roll up your sleeves, get down on your knees, and pray for the Holy Spirit to alter your character.