Praying for Others

One of the greatest ministries available to the church is the ministry of intercession. It is a ministry in which everyone can participate. It doesn’t require a seminary education or Bible college degree.

By following Paul’s example in Ephesians 3, we can learn to pray with power and purpose. When you pray for others, especially your children or grandchildren, pray for ...

God’s Unfailing Purpose for Them

v. 11 – “... according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

God’s Unfading Provision for Them

v. 16 – “I pray that out of his glorious riches ...”

God’s Unrivaled Presence in Them

v. 17 – “... so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith ... that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

God’s Unlimited Possibilities for Them

v. 20 – “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us ...”

God’s Unceasing Praise through Them

v. 21 – “... to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

The Touch of the Master's Hand

It's an old poem with a message that never grows old ...

It was battered and scarred
And the auctioneer thought it
Hardly worth his while
To waste his time on the old violin
But he held it up with a smile.

"What am I bid, good people?" He cried,
"Who starts the bidding for me?"
"One dollar, one dollar, Do I hear two?"
"Two dollars, who makes it three?"
"Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three"

But, no,
From the room far back a grey haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow
Then wiping the dust from the old violin
And tightening up the strings
He played a melody, pure and sweet
As sweet as the angel sings.

The music ceased and the auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low
Said "What now am I bid for this old violin?"
As he held it aloft with its' bow.

"One thousand, one thousand
Do I hear two?" "
Two thousand, Who makes it three?"
"Three thousand once, three thousand twice
Going and gone", said he.

The audience cheered,
But some of them cried, "We just don't understand."
"What changed its' worth?"
Swift came the reply. "The Touch of the Masters Hand."

And many a man with life out of tune
All battered and scarred by sin
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd
Much like that old violin.

A mess of pottage, a glass of wine
A game and he travels on.
He is going once, he is going twice
He is going and almost gone.

But the Master comes
And the foolish crowd never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought
By the Touch of the Master's Hand.

Written by: Myra Brooks Welch

I Am Joe's Soul

(Note: Some years ago the Reader's Digest produced a series of articles on the various organs of "Joe's" body, including the heart, lungs, glands, ears, nose, and teeth. Since an article had not appeared on the subject of Joe's soul, J. Ralph Brewer, author of this article, felt the topic was worthy of consideration. Ralph Brewer a close, personal friend of mine, passed away earlier this year. I miss you, Ralph.)


I am Joe's soul.

I am undoubtedly the most mysterious part of Joe's being. I cannot be seen by the X ray, for I am invisible. I cannot be detected by the stethoscope, for I am inaudible. I cannot be probed by the surgeon's scalpel, for I am intangible.

Because of my unusual nature, some people have mistakenly concluded that I am nonexistent. The Bible, however, clearly establishes the fact that I am real and reinforces this position by referring to me more than 500 hundred times. I am mentioned in 41 of the Bible's 66 books, as writers of sacred scripture from Moses to the Apostle John (a period of some 1, 500 years) express profound belief in my existence.

While there are some differences of opinion among theologians as to my exact location and role, it is generally agreed that I along with my counterpart, Joe's spirit, comprise Joe's entire inner nature. As a matter of fact, I am realy what makes Joe tick. I am so closely identified with, and interrelated to, Joe's body that without me he could not see, hear, feel, taste, smell, reason, or remember.

I also have a vital affect upon Joe's emotions. I express love, fear, desire, sorrow, as well as other human responses. To state it concisely, I am Joe's life. I permeate every molecule of his being and control all his functions. With out me Joe would not be alive at all.

Unfortunately, Joe, like millions of people, tends to ignore me and to place excessive emphasis on his body.

The truth is, if Joe's body could be broken down into chemical components and figured at commerical value, he would be worth only a few dollars at the most. His body would contain enough potassium to make one shot for a toy cap pistol; enough iron for an eight-penny nail; enough sulphur to keep fleas off a dog; enough lime to whitewash a chicken coop; enough magnesia to make a single dose for a sour stomach; and enough phosphorous to cover 2,200 matches.

Now please don't misunderstand me. I'm not trying to degrade Joe or minimize his personal worth. Actually, Joe is quite a remarkable being. He has a brain that weighs only 50 ounces, yet contains over 50 billion cells. This amazing computer is capable of receiving, storing, and recalling vast amounts of information for an unbelievable length of time.

Joe has a delicate pump in his body that will beat over 2.5 billion times during his life-span as it circulates blood throughout his system. Furthermore, he has an intricate network of nerves so extensive that they would reach for miles if laid end to end.

So you see, I agree that Joe is "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Ps. 139:14), and that he should value and respect his body as a special gift from the all-wise Designer and Creator.

"But listen," Joe, "I'm here also. I too am a gift from God. I'm your soul and I want to be acknowledged and respected. Whether you know it or not, I am your most valuable possession.

Unlike your body, I am eternal.

Your body will die, but I will live forever. The plans you make for me will decided your eternal destiny. Think it over, Joe. Think it over carefully and prayerfully. Decide your values, establish your goals, make your plans, and live your life, but don't ever forget me.

Remember: He who prepares well for this life, but takes no thought for eternity is wise for a moment, but a fool forever.

Parable of the Water Glass

When my daughter Carmen was little she demonstrated extraordinary skill in knocking her water glass over at the table. I know most children go through this phase, but she excelled at it. Dinner time became an adventure and an evening without a spill was celebrated.

She was about 4 or 5 years old ... she didn't do it on purpose ... it wasn't defiance just normal childhood clumsiness.

She was never punished.

During this time I took the family to dinner to an upscale restaurant after church one Sunday evening. As we entered I saw the President of the seminary I was attending. With him was his wife and the pastor, along with his wife, of the largest church in our city. This pastor was an icon in Fresno and known throughout the church world.

Seated in the middle of the "half-moon" table was Dr. Carl F. Henry, one of America's foremost theologians. I recognized him from his pictures and I remembered that he was in town as a guest lecturer at my seminary. For reasons I can't remember I had been unable to attend.

When the President saw me he waved me over to their table to introduce me. I was glad he did. I wanted to say hello to all and meet Dr. Henry. The President said, "Dr. Henry, I would like for you to meet one of our students, Roger Daniel. Roger, this is Dr. Carl F. Henry."

I reached to shake his hand.

I missed his hand.

I nailed his water glass.

It wasn't an ordinary sized water glass. It was a super-duper-jumbo, filled to the top. To my horror-stricken eyes, it looked like a tidal wave rushing out of the glass and sweeping away everything in its path.

Dr. Henry's steak was soaked. His green beans were floating. His suit was ruined. The table was standing in water.

I offered a quick prayer with an urgent appeal for God to open the ground and swallow me. I am not embarrassed or flustered easily. But this was no ordinary occasion and these were no ordinary people. I was humiliated beyond words and turned more shades of red that I wanted to think about.

Dr. Henry is a great scholar.

He is an even greater man.

Sensing my extreme discomfort, he tried to put me at ease. With remarkable kindness and wit he said, "It's okay. I'm a Baptist and we love water." What graciousness from the man whose suit and dinner I ruined in a single failed swoop!

When I turned around to escape the scene of my most embarrassing moment, I caught my daughter's eyes. The look on her face was absolutely priceless. Oh, how she enjoyed watching her father squirm!

I walked to the table, looked at Carmen and said, "Don't you say a word." She didn't. She didn't have to. The flood I left behind said it all.

Well, not quite. There's one more thing to be said:

Be gracious with others when they knock over their water glass. If you sit at the table long enough, someday you will knock yours over.

Times Square Lepers

On Saturday, February 1, 2003, 8:00 AM, space shuttle Columbia disintegrated over north Texas during re-entry on its landing approach to Kennedy Space Center. All seven astronauts on board were killed.

Later that same morning I met a group of Master's Commission students for a Saturday class. The first question they asked about the Columbia disaster was, "Why did God let this happen?"

I asked, "How many times has the shuttle taken off and landed safely?" Nobody knew the exact number but agreed it was substantial. My second question was, "Has the nation ever thanked God -- even once -- for a safe shuttle mission?"

Their answer was a prolonged silence as my point began to register.

By now you all know of the failed bombing attempt in Times Square last Saturday (May 1, 2010). The would-be bomber, Faisal Shahzad, was quickly apprehended. Well-deserved praise was heaped on the FBI, NYPD, and other law enforcement agencies responsible for the timely arrest.

I am wondering how many people paused to give thanks to God? Not for the arrest, but for a "bomb malfunction" that saved the lives of hundreds, if not thousands of people.

Of course, there's no way to answer that question, and I am sure that many individuals remembered to be grateful. But it is safe to say that Times Square -- and the nation -- quickly returned to business as usual without much thought or mention of God.

I am also wondering about the response had the bomb detonated? It's my guess that amidst the carnage and loss of human life one of the prominent questions would have been, "Why did God let this happen?"

When Jesus healed the ten lepers (Luke 17:11ff), only a Samaritan returned to glorify God "with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him."

Jesus asked,

Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine -- where are they? Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?

According to Paul, one of the characteristics of a decadent society is its failure to acknowledge God.

They know God, but they do not give him the honor that belongs to him, nor do they thank him (Romans 1:21; TEV).

I am reminded of my own tendency to take God for granted. Am I as quick to give thanks as to question and complain? Do I recognize His hand in the "coincidences" (when God chooses to remain anonymous)? Do I ask, "Why?" more than I say, "Thank you"?

Perhaps not all the lepers are in Times Square.

Celebrating Christmas

The Charles Dickens story A Christmas Carol is a classic -- one that continues to be retold, most recently in 3-D. The central character is a less-than-loveable old man named Scrooge whose most famous line is “Bah, humbug.”

In my lifetime I have met a few people like Scrooge -- those dear folks who delight in raining on the Christmas parade. They are the kind of people who think that being godly means we must shun all signs of joy and steer clear of celebration. They seem to live in constant fear that somebody somewhere may be having a good time.

Okay, we can agree that not all celebration is good. It is true that some will celebrate the season with too much booze and too little sense. Others will go on wild spending sprees and still others will embarrass themselves at wild parties (and not know it until the morning after).

The problem is not with celebration -- rather with how we celebrate. God is a celebratory God. When the universe was created the morning stars sang for joy together and the sons of God shouted for joy. The conversion of one sinner is celebrated by angels in heaven. Jesus joined the wedding feast in Cana of Galilee. The prodigal’s return is celebrated with all day singing and dinner on the ground.

The point is -- we must learn wholesome ways to celebrate and the best place to learn that is from the Bible. I know that will surprise some people, but even more surprising is the fact that Biblical directives for celebrating are found in the book of Deuteronomy -- right smack, dab in the middle of the Old Testament law.

Most everyone knows the Law said, “Thou shalt not kill.” Not everyone knows that it also says, “Thou shalt feast!” In Dt. 16, Israel is commanded (that’s right, commanded) to celebrate:

• Feast of Passover (v. 1)


• Feast of Pentecost (Feast of Weeks; vv. 9-10)


• Feast of Tabernacles (v. 13)

In Israel’s celebrations two ideas were prominent:

1. Sacrifice


2. Feasting

Sacrifice points to relationship -- it was the means by which the people came into relationship with God. The meal was a celebration of that relationship in feasting (keep in mind that to the Hebrews the table was a place of intimacy, friendship, and trust).

God has provided a sacrifice for our sins (the reason Jesus was born) -- we dare not suppose there is any reason for celebration unless that relationship has been established. But on the grounds of our relationship with God through Christ, the Bible invites us to celebrate in a spirit of liberty and joy.

Biblical celebration includes four main elements:

Remembrance: “that you may remember” (v. 3). Passover was a reminder of their deliverance from Egypt. At Pentecost they remembered to be thankful for the harvest. The Feast of Tabernacles was a remembrance of their sojourn in the wilderness. All of this was focused on perpetuating their faith to future generations.

Rejoicing: “you shall rejoice before the Lord” (v. 11). Let your worship and thanksgiving be joined with gladness and joyful praise.

Feasting: “you shall rejoice in your feasts” (v. 14). Feasting is not a license for gluttony but a celebration of relationship -- first with God, then with family.

Giving: “every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you” (v. 17). They gave, not only to God and family, but to the orphans, foreigners, and servants.

Christmas is a time to remember God’s indescribable gift and teach our children … to rejoice “and be exceedingly glad for born to us is a Savior which is Christ the Lord” … to feast (what a wonderful command!) … to give (most of the things bought at Christmas are given away).

So, don't be Scrooge (or a Grinch). Go ahead ... celebrate Christmas.

No Cash for My Clunker

In the mid 70’s my clunker crashed and I needed to buy a new car. For me, “new” was a late model Oldsmobile Cultlass (the hottest car in America in those days) with low mileage and clean from bumper to bumper. Having studied Kelley’s Bluebook, I knew the price the private seller offered was $600 below the dealer’s best price.

After a mechanic’s inspection, I gave the seller a $100.00 deposit to hold the perfect car until my down payment arrived. There was no cash from the government back then but I was expecting some money that was owed to me -- the proverbial check that was arriving in the mail on Wednesday. Thursday, I would go to the bank, make the loan, and complete the purchase.

You will not be surprised when I tell you the check was NOT in the mail on Wednesday. No panic -- the government-run post office was working at its usual level of proficiency, but it will certainly arrive on Thursday.

You’re ahead of me -- I know -- no check on Thursday either.

At that point it seemed obvious that God was unaware of my dilemma so I explained things to Him at a level He could understand. In my whiniest voice I said: “Lord, the bank is closed on Saturday. If the check doesn’t arrive tomorrow I will lose my $100.00 deposit, somebody else will buy my perfect car, and I will be walking. And Lord, since You know I need this car to serve You, I’m sure You will come through and make certain the check arrives on time.”

Friday I went to the mailbox and stared into a black hole -- no check. First I pouted. Then I got mad and let God know, in no uncertain terms, how unhappy I was with the lousy job He had done. As I stewed and steamed beside my empty mailbox, the owner of the Cutlass pulled up in my drive.

My attempt to explain the non-arrival of the promised check was cut short as he returned my deposit check. “I can’t sell the car to you,” he said. “State investigators have impounded the vehicle -- it was stolen.” Seeing the confusion on my face, he explained, “I’m out the money I paid for it and out of a car. If you had bought it you’d be where I am.”

As he drove away, I slowly and sheepishly looked up to heaven and said, “Oh.”

I did all the right things a responsible buyer should do. I determined the value of the car. I had it inspected. I arranged a good, affordable loan. I did all my homework. But there was something about this deal that I didn’t know -- that I could not have known.

But God knew.

He also knew that from my youthful inexperience I wouldn’t understand at first … and from my immaturity I would behave like a spoiled child. That didn’t prevent His love from protecting me.

I learned some valuable “life lessons” that day. I learned that ...

• God is really smart.


• He always knows what He is doing (even when I think He doesn’t).


• His grace cannot be conquered by my moods.


• He will always do what is best for His children.


• He will never harm me.


• He is a really good Father .

One more thing: it isn’t always a bad thing when the check isn’t in the mail.

Others May; You Cannot

An essay by G.D. Watson

If God has called you to be really like Christ, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility and put on you such demands of obedience, that He will not allow you to follow other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other good people do things which He will not let you do.

Others can brag on themselves, and their work, on their success, on their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all you good works.

The Lord will let others be honored and put forward, and keep you hid away in obscurity because He wants to produce some choice fragrant fruit for His glory, which can be produced only in the shade.

God will let others be great, but He will keep you small. He will let others do a great work for Him and get credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you are doing; and then to make your work still more precious, He will let others get the credit for the work you have done, and this will make your reward ten times greater when He comes.

The Holy Spirit will put strict watch over you, with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feelings, or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seem distressed over.

So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign, and has a right to do what He pleases with His own, and He will not explain to you a thousand things which may puzzle your reason in His dealing with you.

Settle it forever, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes, in ways that others are not dealt with.

Now, when you are so possessed with the Living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this particular personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of heaven.

Follow this link to learn more about G.D. Watson http://www.wellofoath.com/home.asp?pg=Bios&toc=G.+D.+Watson

From the Mouth of Babes

When my daughter Carmen was about 3 years old, we lived in Sacramento, California. We did not put up our figurines and "whatnots" – we taught her not to touch them.

For the most part she was obedient and never bothered them. But one day she was overwhelmed with temptation ... the need to touch the untouchable was just too much for her. When weakness met opportunity, she transgressed.

She was alone in the den, still wearing her pink PJ jump suit. She picked up the forbidden "fruit" and began to fondle it. About that time I entered from the other side of the room and caught her red-handed.

As I started towards her with one of those stern "you're in trouble" looks, she quickly put down the figurine. A look of sheer panic flashed across her face. As I got closer, my 3 year old daughter dropped both hands to her side, looked straight into heaven, and with a voice of utter desperation cried, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.”

(Do you really have to ask? Well, of course not … how do you spank a child who is appealing for Divine intervention?).

I was astonished that she had learned this lesson so soon.

I have remembered that moment many, many times – not just because it was cute, sweet, and precious – but because there have been many times when I've needed to follow her example.

Sometimes I had been caught red-handed by the Holy Spirit ... when I had picked up what I should have left alone ... when I knew I had disobeyed my Father ... when I was dismayed by my obvious transgression.

But more often it has been in those moments of life when I was simply overwhelmed by circumstances beyond my control and situations I could not change or manage ... when I was without strength ... or words ... and all that was left was a tattered faith and a stumbling determination.

More than once I have done what I learned from my child ... put my hands to my side, looked straight into heaven and said His name, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.”

No, it's not a magical formula ... not mumbo jumbo.

But if it has the same effect in heaven as it did in my living room ... if it touched the heavenly Father's heart the way it touched mine ... it may be the most eloquent and powerful prayer I have ever prayed.

In the night seasons I have sometimes wondered if I would make it. I'm still here. Bruised ... bearing the scars of battle ... limping a bit ... but still standing and still moving forward ... perhaps slower than in times past, but still moving.

“Because I the Lord do not change, therefore you are not consumed,” God said through Malachi. “If the Lord had not been on my side the enemy would have swallowed me alive,” the singer sang.

In my darkest hour I know that someway, somehow, there is a way of deliverance ... an answer ... help in the time of trouble. With hands at my side and my face lifted to heaven, my prayer is the one I learned so long ago from a little blonde beauty in pink pajamas …

“Jesus, Jesus, Jesus”

Does perfect love cast out all fear?

The simple answer is “no.”

That’s not bad because some fear is good. I am afraid of a rattlesnake. I am afraid to cross in front of a moving train. I am afraid to drink poison. I am afraid to climb over the safety rail on top of the mountain. You get the idea.

But doesn't the Bible say, “Perfect love casts out all fear”?

No, it doesn't.

It is true that some contemporary versions of the Bible include the word “all” (Today’s English Version; New Living Translation). But these versions are often more like paraphrases rather than translations, and in this instance they have added the word “all” which is not in the Greek text, and is rightly excluded in the best translations of 1 John 4:18:

“... perfect love casts out fear” (NKJV, NASB, NRSV)
“... perfect love drives out fear” (NIV)
“... perfect love casteth out fear” (ASV)

Not only is this text frequently misquoted, it is usually removed from its context (always a bad idea since context is the most important factor to determine meaning). In the text a particular kind of fear is pinpointed:

By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment … there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love (1 John 4:17-18; emphasis added).

The fear that is removed by perfect love is the fear of punishment ... the dread of judgment. Albert Barnes puts it this way: “The idea is, that he who has true love to God will have nothing to fear in the day of judgment, and may even approach the awful tribunal without alarm.”

“The one who fears is not perfected in love” -- lingering apprehension of future wrath, shows that love has not accomplished its full work. To the contrary, the perfection of God’s love within us gives us “confidence in the day of judgment.”

It is not our perfect love for God that removes the fear of punishment, but His perfect love for us.

It is important to note from the context that perfect love is an expression of our personal faith in Christ:

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him (1 John 4:15-17).

True confession of Christ brings us into an abiding, mutual relationship with God described as “perfected love” which removes all sense of dread.

In this relationship we need not fear a God who loves us perfectly.

Cherokee Legend

Here is a powerful story from the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of passage.

His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it.

He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a man. He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own.

The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man!

Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from all harm.

We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, God is watching over us, sitting beside us. Just because you can't see God, doesn't mean He is not there.

I will never leave you or forsake you.

"And the survey said!"

Last week I was exercising my gift of "remoting" -- surfing through the 800+ channels on Direct TV -- when an episode of Family Feud caught my attention.

The question given to the contestants was,

"Name something you usually find at church."

There were 6 possible answers. Care to guess what they were? If you guessed "singing," you got the #1 answer. Other answers included, "collection plate" (#2), "praying" (#3), and "sermon" (5).

If you're counting, that leaves 2 answers. After 3 XXX's passed the question to the other family, the new clan had one try to "steal" the money. They couldn't come up with a correct answer either.

Trying to guess the answers to #4 and #6?

If you're thinking "communion" ... or "baptism" ... or "fellowship" ... you get a big X.

Nope, none of these. The final answers were "dozing off" (#4) and "going to the bathroom" (#6). The final answers may not be too spiritual, but you'll find them both in almost every church on any given Sunday.

I am thinking that the answers may not be in the right order. It seems to me that the "sermon" should have been before "dozing." I think you can figure out why. Note: when people nod in church it doesn't mean they are agreeing.

Did you notice anything missing? Worship didn't make the survey.

Okay, you could argue that singing, giving, praying, and preaching are all intended to be expressions of worship, and I would whole-heartedly agree. But is it possible to sing ... to give ... to pray ... to listen to a sermon without worshipping?

Jesus observed the ostentatious display of Israel's worship with its elaborate ceremonies and high rituals -- He wasn't impressed. He said ...

Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: "These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips. But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me ..." (Matt 15:7-9).

They said the right things and performed flawlessly, but their worship was a farce. It was a show -- impressive to most, except the One who sees the heart. We can sing from our diaphragm, pray from our lips, give from our hands, and listen with our ears -- and do all of this in grand style -- but true worship proceeds from the heart.

What is the indispensable essential in our worship? We must worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Good answer!

"Total" Commitment

Christians frequently talk about "total commitment." Ever wonder why we find it necessary to add the word "total"? Is there such a thing as "partial" commitment? I think not. If it's partial it isn't commitment, and if it's commitment it can't be less than total.

If you're wondering what commitment looks like, ponder the words of a young African pastor who was martyred for his faith in Zimbabwe. The following letter was found among his papers after he was murdered.

I'm a part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I'm a disciple of His and I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be
still.

My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. I'm done and finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity.

I don't have to be right, or first, or tops, or recognized, or praised, or rewarded. I live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by Holy Spirit power. My face is set. My gait is fast. My goal is heaven. My road may be narrow, my way rough, my companions few, but my guide is reliable and my mission is clear.

I will not be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice or hesitate in the presence of the adversary. I will not negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won't give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I must give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He does come for His own, He'll have no problems recognizing me. My colors will be clear!

At Calvary

Looking back to the hill of Calvary, these things by faith I see ...

A crown of thorns, splattered with mud,

A soldier's spear, fresh-tipped with blood.

The tears of a mother's age-old grief,

And tears of joy shed by a thief.

A sponge filled with vinegar, a broken reed,

Three rusty nails for which no need.

And tossed to one side is the sign they used,

"This is Jesus, King of the Jews.

A reed and a spear, a crown and a tear,

To remind the world that Christ died here.

But one thing more by faith I see,

At the foot of the cross ...

A place for me.

(Written by a U.S. serviceman in Germany. This poem has never been published.)

The David Company

More than once God has bypassed the religious elite at the temple to choose redneck fishermen in Galilee.

In the early Spring of 1906, a black minister by the name of William J. Seymour went to Los Angeles, California, to conduct a series of revival meetings. When he began the meeting with Acts 2:4 as his text and preached his first sermon on the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the people of the Santa Fe Street mission were shocked and offended. When Seymour returned for the evening service he found the mission door padlocked.

He was taken in by Mr. & Mrs. Edward Lee and eventually was able to conduct a cottage prayer meeting in the home of Mr. & Mrs. Richard Asbery at 214 N. Bonnie Brae Street. In need of larger quarters, he moved to 312 Azusa Street -- the site of the old African Methodist Episcopal Church. At the time it was being used as storage shed for construction materials. After much hard work, the building was made ready and services began.

The rest is history. Little did anyone realize “that 312 Azusa Street would one day be renowned as the center from which the most far-reaching religious movement of the 20th century radiated around the world” (William Faupel, The Everlasting Gospel, p. 191).

I am struck by the fact that God chose William J. Seymour to lead the Azusa Street revival and placed him at the head of the Pentecostal movement. He seems to have been the least likely candidate for such an appointment, especially in the light of men like John Alexander Dowie, Frank Weston Sandford, and Charles Fox Parham -- three prominent men who dominated the landscape of the emerging Pentecostal movement.

Who would have dreamed that out of all the people in the world to play such a significant role in the plan of God, the Lord would have chosen a poor, half blind, barely educated man -- a black man in a society deeply entrenched in racism -- as the catalyst for worldwide revival?

But this is not the first time that God has passed over Eliab and Abinadab to anoint David (1 Sam. 16:6ff). More than once God has bypassed the religious elite at the temple to choose redneck fishermen in Galilee. Paul said, “ . . . not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things . . . that no man should boast before God (1 Cor. 1:26-29).

I believe there is a hidden remnant -- a “David Company” -- that God is raising up. They are presently unknown, except among those in heaven and hell. They will care nothing for notoriety and fame; they will shun publicity and refuse to be exalted or promoted by men; they will live their lives for God, work for His glory alone, and serve in a way that only His eyes need to see.

They have been in training for years, faithfully taking care of their Father’s flock. Among them are those who have been passed over.

From the most unexpected places, God will raise up the most unexpected people to do an extraordinary work.

They will not merchandise His anointing or exploit His glory for personal gain, and He will use them mightily because He knows His glory is safe in their hands.

Perhaps I should refer to them as “The Seymour Company.”

Experiencing the Presence of God

A lot of people are asking a lot of questions about how to prepare for the days ahead. Should I buy gold? Do I stay in the stock market? How can I protect my assets?

There's nothing wrong with asking such questions. I have recently posted two articles that deal with the matter of preparation ("Don't Leave Your Cow in the Yard" and "God's Provision -- Our Responsibility").

I would not presume to advise anyone about their financial decisions. I have questions about that myself. But I will say this ...

the single most important preparation you can make is to draw closer to God.

Most Christians today are in the outer court -- that's where you'll find the fun, food, and fellowship. But in the days ahead, an outer court experience will not be enough.

Luke 24:13-27 records an interesting story of two disciples who walked on the Emmaus Road with the Lord, but did not experience his presence. He was near but they failed to recognize Him. Why? What caused their blindness to the presence of Christ? From their story we can learn how we often miss the presence of God.

They missed His presence because ...

They were overwhelmed with their problem.

Their dream world had just been shattered … their hopes had evaporated. They were on their way home after the most traumatic moments of their life. Their hopes had been nailed to a cross and buried in a tomb. Fixated on their pain and disappointment, they could not recognize Him though He was walking right beside them.

Have you ever had a moment when you were so overwhelmed by the gravity of your problems and the pain of what was hurting you … facing the reality that something you have dreamed of is never going to come true … so devastated by your disappointments and overwhelmed with confusion that you lost all sense of God’s presence and found it difficult to believe that He was near?

You’ll never experience the presence of God until you change your focus from your sorrow to your Savior ... and you don’t change your focus by what you feel, but by what you know.

They were ignorant of God's Word.

I could have used a nicer word than “ignorant,” I suppose, but Jesus used an even stronger word. He used the word “foolish.” In essence, "If you had understood the Word of God … if you knew what the prophets had said you would not be in this mess." Much of their confusion was rooted in their lack of understanding and misunderstanding of God’s word.

As they walked, He patiently taught them the Word of God, "beginning with Moses" (the first books of the Bible), through the Psalms and prophets, explaining what had been written of Messiah. Later they would say, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the way?"

I’m not going to say that if you read the Bible everyday and memorize scripture you will never have difficult times and moments of sorrow. But I will say that unless you have an experience of God that comes through the knowledge of His word, you will have a difficult time seeing Him in the pain and grief of your life.

The better you know someone the less explaining they have to do. The more we know God the less explanation we need. The closeness of your relationship with God is directly related to the depth of your knowledge of His Word. It is in the Word of God that I most often find Him.

They were slow to believe.

In other words, their faith was deficient. This is one of the consequences of their ignorance of the scripture. Since "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Romans 10:17), it is understandable that their faith was weak.

In the course of my life I have stood with many people who have looked to me for an answer when I did not have one. I could not answer the searing question, "Why?" I have learned that there is a point when I simply must stand in faith without an answer -- "the just shall live by faith."

I stand in the simple faith that ...

God is too wise to be mistaken.

God is too good to be unkind.

When you don't understand ...

When you can't trace His hand ...

When you can't find His plan ...

Trust His heart.

Finally, they missed His presence because of ...

Their faulty preconditioning.

Mark writes only two verses about this story, but he provides incredible insight in just a few words. In 16:12 he writes ...

“Jesus appeared to them in another form.”

How often do we miss His presence because of our stereotyped expectations of God -- that He will reveal Himself in a particular manner? We become so preoccupied with our expectations, based on prior experiences, that we miss Him when He chooses to come "in another form."

Elijah was so intent upon the wind, earthquake, and the fire that he almost missed His presence. In the past God had revealed Himself to Israel at Horeb (Sinai) in this very manner (Ex. 19:18ff). Was Elijah trying to relive an experience of the past? Did he expect that once again God would be in the wind, earthquake, and fire as he had before?

As glorious as that past experience had been, God's intention for Elijah went beyond a rehearsal of yesterday's glory. He came to his servant in an unprecedented manner ... He spoke in the still small voice. The Hebrew text suggests that the "still small voice" was not a voice at all -- that God "spoke" in the silence.

What kind of heart must I have to hear God in the silence?

God often breaks the mold. He refuses to fit our definitions. He defies our modus operandi for the Divine. He sometimes reveals His presence in unprecedented ways. He may not come the next time in the same way He has come in the past. Will your faulty preconditioning keep you from seeing Him if reveals Himself in a different form?

Luke finishes this story with these words:

"They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread" (Luke 24:35).

Christ always reveals Himself to those who will sit and commune with Him at the table of the heart.

God's Provision -- Our Responsibility

Are your eyes on the supply or the Supplier?

When Isaac asked his father, "Where is the lamb?", Abraham answered, "The Lord will provide himself a lamb" (Gen. 22:8). Moments later he retrieved a ram from the thicket and offered it instead of his son ...

And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh ... (Gen 22:14).

The literal meaning of the Hebrew name Jehovah-jireh is "the Lord who sees." From the context of Gen. 22, it embodies the idea of the "the Lord who provides." He provides so completely because He "sees" so completely what is needed.


From the pen of Paul we read ...

And with all his abundant wealth through Christ Jesus, my God will supply all your needs (Phil 4:19, Today's English Version).

But God's promise to supply does not preclude our participation. Indeed, in most instances God's promise to provide is premised upon man's obedient response.

• God's provision of manna in the wilderness required the Israelis to gather it daily without hoarding, with a double supply on the day before the sabbath (Ex. 16:15ff).
• God's provision of water for Israel's army required the soldiers to put down their swords and pick up shovels to dig ditches (2 Kings 3:16).
• God's provision for Elijah required him to go to the brook Cherith and later to the widow's house in Zarephath (1 Kings 17:3-6, 9).
• God's provision of tax money required Simon to fish with a line in the lake Jesus specified -- looking in the mouth of the first fish caught (Mt. 17:27).

There are many other examples, but you get the point.

If you like maggot-infested manna and nothing to eat on the sabbath, ignore God's commands. If Israel's soldiers hadn't dug the ditches, there would have been no water. Had Elijah gone anywhere besides Cherith and Zarephath, he would have missed God's provision. Peter would not have found the coin for taxes in a bird's nest.

Even the verse cited above from Phil. 4:19, "my God shall supply all your needs," is not without conditions. From the context, note the giving of the Philippians. Their giving was ...

• Faithful: "... you sent aid once and again for my necessities" (v. 16).
• Fruitful: "... I seek the fruit that abounds to your account" (v. 17).
• Fragrant: "... the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma" (v. 18).

Because of this, Paul says, your need will be furnished.

But perhaps the most important thing to remember is that in the examples cited above, the means of provision was a once-given-never-to-be-repeated commandment from the Lord.

The supply of manna stopped when Israel planted corn in Canaan and no literal manna has been seen since (though there is a preacher on TV who will send you "miracle manna" if you give him your name and mailing address; it looks like a Graham cracker in a baggie). Digging ditches to hold water was done only once. Ravens were never again commissioned to feed a hungry prophet. Widows have kept a few preachers alive, but not from a meal barrel and cruse of oil that never diminished.

It's not about digging ditches or going fishing. It's about waiting on God, listening for His voice, receiving His specific, personal instructions, and obeying His command. It's not about following steps 1-2-3 but about hearing what God is saying to you and then partnering with Him.

God's provision flows out of our relationship with Him.

The key to provision is knowing the Provider.

You Need More Than a Ticket

(I found this in my collection of stories and illustrations. Unfortunately, I do not know the original source and I am unable to cite the author.)

In January 2000, leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina, invited their favorite son, Billy Graham, to a luncheon in his honor. Billy initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he struggles with Parkinson's disease. But the Charlotte leaders said, “We don't expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you.” So he agreed.

After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said, “I'm reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honored by Time magazine as the Man of the Century.

Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets. It wasn't there, so he looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn't find it.”

The conductor said, “Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it.”

Einstein nodded appreciatively.

The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket. The conductor rushed back and said, “Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry, I know who you are. No problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one.”

Einstein looked at him and said, “Young man, I too, know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going.''

Having said that Billy Graham continued, “See the suit I'm wearing? It's a brand new suit. My wife, my children, and my grandchildren are telling me I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion.”

“You know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't want you to immediately remember the suit I'm wearing. I want you to remember this:

I not only know who I am ... I also know where I'm going."

Severe Mercy

"In wrath remember mercy" (Hab. 3:2)

We often think of God's judgment as the antithesis of mercy. Rightly understood, judgment may actually be one of the greatest expressions of God's mercy.

Malcolm Smith described judgment as "a tourniquet applied by a loving God to keep a hemorrhaging world from bleeding to death."

Sometimes God steps in to save us from ourselves.

In 1665 the Black Plague swept through the city of London. The disease was carried by fleas that lived as parasites on rats. The city was infested with the vermin and in short order the plague spread throughout London. According to one estimate the disease killed 40,000 dogs, 200,000 cats, and more than 1,000 people per week. By August 1666 as many as 6,000 people died per week.

The disease spread unchecked until the night of September 2, 1666 when a careless maid started a small fire in a baker’s shop on Pudding Lane. The blaze soon became an inferno. Fanned by the east wind, the fire quickly spread across the city.

The fire raged for four days and destroyed 80% of London. More than 13,000 homes were reduced to ashes. The city was nearly destroyed, but the people were saved because the fire burned up the rats and burned out the infectious disease.

The destructive blaze razed the city but saved the people.

Right now our country is hemorrhaging. God loves us too much to let us bleed to death.

Don't Leave Your Cow in the Yard

The Sovereign LORD never does anything without revealing his plan to his servants ...

Amos 3:7, Today's English Version

Why does God reveal His plans in advance?

Advanced warnings are often a call to repentance.

When Jonah announced Nineveh's impending destruction "the people of Nineveh believed God's message. So they decided that everyone should fast, and all the people, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth to show that they had repented" (Jonah 3:5).

When Jezebel seduced the church at Thyatria into idolatry and immorality Jesus said, "I have given her time to repent of her sins ..." (Rev. 2:21).

Advanced warnings bring assurance.

To prepare His disciples for the cross and beyond, Jesus said to them, "I have told you this now before it all happens, so that when it does happen, you will believe" ( John 14:29).

When Satan asked permission to test Peter, Jesus warned him in advance to assure him that He had already prayed for him (Luke 22:31).

Knowing in advance tells us that God has not been taken by surprise ... that He has everything under control ... the He cared enough to let us know ahead of time.

If God precedes the commencement of the trial, is He likely to be absent at its conclusion?

Advanced warnings give time to prepare.

God's plan to preserve Jacob's family from starvation began many years before the famine arrived in Egypt. He chose Joseph ... arranged his trip to Egypt ... directed his training ... orchestrated his rise to power ... gave Pharaoh a dream ... gave Joseph the interpretation ... and then gave them 7 more years to grow and store enough food to feed the people.

Prov 22:3 says, "A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."

Advanced warnings are a call to action.

In Acts 11:28-29 a prophet named Agabus "predicted that a severe famine was about to come over all the earth." Hearing the warning, "the disciples decided that each of them would send as much as he could to help their fellow believers who lived in Judea."

Prior to the plague of hail in Egypt, God warned the people to protect their livestock: "This time tomorrow I will cause a heavy hailstorm ... now give orders for your livestock and everything else you have in the open to be put under shelter. Hail will fall on the people and animals left outside unprotected, and they will all die."

Some of the king's officials believed what the LORD had said, and they brought their slaves and animals indoors for shelter. Others, however, paid no attention to the LORD's warning and left their slaves and animals out in the open" (Ex 9:18-21). When the hail stones fell, they perished.

Conclusion

At the approach of a hurricane, the National Weather Service will issue an immediate warning so the residents in the storm's path will have time to prepare. Making preparations for a coming storm is wisdom, not fear.

In light of the storm warnings that are sounding across the land today our response should be one of:

• personal repentance ...
• peace, not panic ...
• prudence, not paranoia ...
• action, not apathy.

When God warns of a hail storm, don't leave your cow in the yard.

Got milk?