Day Twelve of 40 Days of Prayer for FRC

Father,

All the children in our community have returned to school this week. Thank you for the opportunity for each child to receive an education. Some children are home schooled while others attend school outside the home. Give each child an eager mind to learn; give them safe passage to and from school; make their stay in the schools a peaceful experience. Please keep all toxic and fatal activity from the schools, the children, the teachers and school personnel. Your name is a strong tower; may the righteous run to it and be safe. Keep each child protected under the canopy of your son’s name, Jesus. 

Bless the teachers who have committed their life to teaching children. They do more than educate, they form young lives into adulthood. Protect our teachers; give godly teachers divine opportunities to introduce you to their students. Give the teachers your courage and wisdom to minister to the many children in their care. I lift up homeschool moms, too. The task of homeschooling and caring for the home is difficult. Give them strength and vision. Help them persevere and grant them joy in the journey. Give each parent a burning desire to disciple their children in the midst of all the academics.

Be with the many children who come from difficult homes. Some are hungry-provide them with food; be their comfort at home and at school when their life seems to lack all joy. Be their hiding place. Surround them with your songs of deliverance. Draw them with your everlasting love; in their neglect - be their guardian. Help them know how miraculously you love them.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Psalm 12:7; Psalm 32:7; Jeremiah 31:3; Proverbs 18:10

Day Eleven of 40 Days of Prayer for FRC

Father,

Thank you for the many people you bring to our church. Thank you for the divine appointments you provide for us to give hope to hurting people. We consider it a great privilege that you would entrust us with the ministry of the gospel. We do not feel worthy of your mission, yet, you love us so much that you allow us to join you in your work.

The lost in this world are numerous. The news makes us so uncertain about our future. And many are putting their faith and hope in things that are passing away. Sadly, too many are perishing in their sin. Forgive us for being so distracted by things that are insignificant. 

Sometimes we fail at your mission. Being evangelical we often begin the work of saving the lost by sharing with them your Son. This is good. But we fail to finish the work you have given us. Give us a burden to go beyond saving souls to making fully devoted and committed disciples. Often churches experience 20% of the people doing 80% of the work because we have lacked in training others to be your disciples; instead we have just snatched them from the fires of hell. You desire so much more!  And these people need so much more!

Give those that are just church attenders a burden for your truth on a daily basis - not just weekly. Help them seek what is lasting. Cause them to see everything on this earth as dim compared to your everlasting truth. Help each to seriously consider their answer to this question: if everything were stripped away, would Jesus be enough? 

Unsettle us with our apathy. I pray we suffer continually with your burden to fulfill your ministry and finish your work. Help us, Lord, to always be attentive to what others need eternally, not just temporarily. Give us your eyes to see,  your heart that feels and your passion that persists. Make us a church that does more than just attract people; help us to disciple people to be followers that become your servants who impact Fredericksburg with your love. Enlarge the core of disciples in our church so we can enlarge the followers in your Kingdom. 

In Jesus name,

Amen

1 Corinthians 9:16; Matthew 28:19; Matthew 24:35; 1 John 2:17

Day Ten of 40 Days of Prayer for FRC

Father,

Thank you for your strength. Thank you for your power. You are above all. You are the creator of Natural Law; therefore, you can dismantle it at your bidding if you please. There is no one like you. You are our joy!

I lift up our Carnival/Movie night to you again. I know that you hear us when we pray. I know that your purposes are good and worthy of our notice and certainly of our doing. Purpose us only in your plan tonight. Give us YOUR JOY! May we dismiss our own human joy that is so frail and passing. Satisfy us with the Joy of Jesus. Regardless of the difficult circumstances we may face I pray that your Joy would overcome it and make us a light unto the community.

We pray that your joy will be shared among the believers and felt by those that attend. Give each person cause to pause at the joy they see and the love they experience. For it is by our love for each other that others will know we are your disciples.

Ready the hearts of each person that attends tonight. Prepare them with an open heart for your love and your joy. I pray for divine appointments for each serving. I pray we do not waste our moments; I pray we give our all to share the love of Christ with others.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

Nehemiah 8:10; 1 Thessalonians 1:6, 2:19-20

Day Nine of 40 Days of Prayer for FRC

Father,

You show us that a giving church is one whose hearts are united as one; one in which each person in the body allows your grace to powerfully work through them. I praise you for a giving church at FRC. Each person hops on the chance to serve the poor, feed hungry children, and reach beyond our community to the ends of the earth. It’s beautiful to see so many serving and loving others through your grace.

Even still, I lift up our church finances. We are dangerously behind our budget, which limits the impact we can have on the discipleship of those that come to our church. While we are a giving church to the community, we need to be more giving inside our church family. The ministries are suffering. I pray for hearts to be burdened for the ministries we have that disciple adults, teens, and children in the Lord. We have new opportunities coming forth in the fall – divorce recovery, children’s musical, children's renovation, next-steps classes, etc. 

You have called us to minister to those inside as much as those outside. Not much different than our own families. We feed our children in the home as well as feeding those poor out of the home. Give us a balance in giving, so that just like the first church in Acts, “there are no needy persons among us.” With one mind and one heart the disciples brought the money earned from their sales to the Apostles feet so that it could be distributed to anyone in need. While we may not be tangibly giving food and clothing to those in need that attend our church, we have a great responsibility to disciple them within the ministries you have called us to provide. It takes resources to keep these ministries alive. Please provide as you have promised you would.

Give us pause for our church family. You are the great Provider for each person in our church and for our church family as a whole. Burden us with your heart to give. Holy Spirit, teach us the value of tithing and giving to our church family. Teach us why, teach us how, and give us wisdom in what we are to give. You are the owner of all we have; you are the potter of our souls; mold us and make us into your servants of grace inside the church as well as outside.

In Jesus Name,

Amen.

Acts 4:32-37

How to Be Transformed by a Sermon

Great communicators are not always effective at evangelism. Don’t get me wrong, I love good sermons. I have many favorite Bible teachers who do a fine job of teaching and explaining the gospel of Christ. They are well informed and prepared by the word of God and they can deliver a message in a way that makes me sit on the edge of my seat so I don’t miss a thing! They assert with great power and passion the triumph of faith in Christ. However, even in all of this, good communication is not the reason people come to and grow in Christ. 

Let’s face it; I could know all I need to know about persuasive argument. I could learn the techniques to deliberate my case with great influence, but it still would not necessarily bring a person to Christ. Conversely, it is important to note what I am not saying. I am not saying stop preaching or stop teaching. I am not saying dismiss learning how to communicate well. Instead, I am transferring our focus to what really brings a soul into union with the Lord. It’s not good teaching methods, while beneficial to the learner. It’s not great communications skills, while advantageous to the hearer. Instead, let’s shift our attention from the preacher and teacher and look to the hearer. 

A person of change is one who hungers for a clean heart, a steadfast spirit, a constant presence with the Lord and joy in His salvation. This person is one that has a broken spirit. God will not reject a heart that is broken and sorry for sin. (Psalm 51:17). When our focus is entirely on the deliberation of truth and the effective communication of the gospel, without intention, we make the mistake that it is in our control whether a person comes to Christ or not. It is only the Father that draws all men unto Himself through His son, Jesus. So what do we do?

Prayer. Pray for broken hearts. Pray for the nonbeliever to be broken in spirit. Pray they see the fruitlessness of what the world offers. Pray for people to be repentant. Prayer is the most powerful tool a teacher, preacher, or any evangelist has in bringing people to Christ. Prayer is the first step to good teaching and preaching. We must pay close attention to the hearer - not just the teacher.

Think about it, if our hearts are hardened by sin, if we are filled with our own pride, if we are unrepentant and unconcerned about sanctification, are we really going to hear the word preached to us and change? Sadly, in this hardened state we justify our sin, not leave it. We blame others for their wrongs, instead of correcting our own failings. We fail to see our need to be like Christ. We take on a god complex and continue to live for self. Yet, the sermon heard was not about this at all. The state of our heart determines what we hear. 

Yes, faith comes by hearing the word of God. But I ask you, what part of us needs to be listening to increase our faith? A transformed person for Christ listens with their heart. It’s the heart that needs transforming. It’s the heart that needs a surgical miracle. It’s the heart that God sees yet no man can see. It’s the inside that God is concerned about - not the outside. The outside is only a reflection of what is in the heart. We pray for behavior change when we should be praying for heart change. 

The best way to change the heart of another is to pray for that person’s brokenness. And then pray for their heart to listen to the truth being taught so they can be transformed with tools that last forever - not for just a season.

Day Eight of 40 Days of Prayer for FRC

Father,

When Peter and John were among the people in the community, they came to a begging lame man and Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Not only did this man walk, but thousands of people witnessed and came to the Lord in belief. Jesus was spreading through the community and people were being saved. Not happy, the rulers and elders commanded Peter and John to not speak or teach the name of Jesus. They were afraid of the immense growth among the people.

Father, no one can thwart the plan of your Son being made known and being known among your people.  Jesus himself said to the Pharisees, “if the disciples keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” The purpose of your Son’s arrival was to be proclaimed to the people and received with open arms to his salvation. I do not want stones to have this privilege,  we as your followers want to be apart of your amazing plan. 

FRC is in a very obscure place hidden behind many businesses. It’s hard to find it. It’s hard to know that it is a church. However, Lord, our building is not your church – the people are. Make us bold as you did the disciples. 

After the command to not share Jesus with others, the disciples prayed and we echo their prayer: enable us to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs of your choosing that will bring people into relationship with you. Empower us with your Spirit as we are in the community. Make us attentive to those around us that are lame in spirit; who need to walk a new life with your son. Give us the words, the power, to be a city on a hill that cannot be hidden by the world’s distractions. Shake the very essence of who we are and replace our identity with your Spirit, so that each of us speaks your word with great audacious faith and courage.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Acts 3:1-10; Acts 4:13-22; 29-31; Luke 19:40

Day Seven of 40 Days of Prayer for FRC

Father,

What an amazing time we had yesterday at church and at the baptism! I praise you for children! 

What I noticed yesterday was the truth of Luke 24:30-32 lived out. As we shared the word of God with the children during the first and second services, we could literally see their eyes open and understand your truth. As I taught the children’s baptism class, I experienced one child encouraging another with your word (interestingly, the scripture she shared was not even part of the baptism lesson, yet, it fit so well – only You, Lord could orchestrate that!).

Again at the baptism, I witnessed a mom sharing her child’s spiritual growth with me and another mom and suddenly, the one mom who was hearing and hurting was lifted up by your word. What was shared was so fitting for what she was struggling with at that very moment. She was strengthened and touched intimately by your love.

Wow! What a beautiful day to witness the working of your Spirit among the body of Christ!

Yesterday reminds me of the first church when they gathered together and were filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed. Yesterday proves that your desire for your church then is also your desire for your church today.

I am praying for one thing today for our church: devotion. May we have a burning desire to know you and seek you, therefore as you reveal yourself to us, suddenly our eyes will be opened and we will know who you are and the blessings you are sharing with us. Make us intentionally aware of your truth and the power of your presence. We love you!

In Jesus name,

Amen

Luke 24:30-32; Acts 2:43

Day Six of 40 Days of Prayer for FRC

Father,

After Jesus’ resurrection he spent 40 days with the disciples teaching them more about the kingdom of God. Then just before he ascended to heaven he promised the disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit. This gift was not just for the disciples of Jesus’ time; he was and is very much for us today. Because of the Holy Spirit, the disciples were able to receive power and the ability to be your witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. And we, too, can be your witnesses with your power through your Spirit. I praise you for this amazing Gift!

Without your Spirit we tend to lean on our independence and individual “talents and training” to accomplish your work. Forgive us Father for not earnestly receiving your Spirit and for thinking that we could do anything of value without you. For we cannot be your witnesses without your Spirit. 

Oh, Lord helps us at River Club to truly embrace the fact that it is not by our power, our might or even our spirit that accomplishes the work of salvation and discipleship in others. Nor does it even draw people to our church to seek you. Knowing this truth helps us right our focus. Help us to relax and let you lead. Where our work begins is when you lead and we join you. 

Fill us with your Spirit! Give us a deep urgent sensitivity to this request. While we have your Spirit, we often neglect His power. Make us acutely aware of where you are working and then through the Spirit of God have the courage to join you.

Tomorrow, fill our worship with YOUR SPIRIT.  Empower us to praise your Son; give us YOUR might to teach, connect, disciple, and worship.  Break the strongholds of independence in our church family; grant us the freedom to let go and lean totally on you. I pray that those who desire to openly worship you will have the courage to do so in their unique way. May our eyes be on you not on the person next to us. Give Fairview at River Club a total desire to attend church with ONE FOCUS: TO WORSHIP YOU! We do not want to attend to critique the sermon, the worship, the building or the ministries - Lord help us to instead embrace the sermon, participate in the worship, be the building and join the ministries. 

In Jesus name,

Amen  

Acts 1:1-8; Zechariah 4:6

Day Five of 40 Days of Prayer for FRC

Father,

Thank you that you have made yourself known to us through your Son, Jesus. We praise you that your son continues to make you known to us through your Spirit. Many are being baptized this Sunday because they know you as their Savoir.

Make Sunday a very special day for each one that will be baptized. Make this a turning point in their faith journey where they will continue to lean on you and learn from you each day. 

We also lift up each child’s safety at Pitts Pond. My prayer is that you will be a hedge of protection around each child and teen as they swim and enjoy the water. I pray that each one baptized will also have your protection from the evil one, just as you have prayed of us.  

May each baptism be a testimony to who you are, what you have done and what you will do in the lives of these people. I pray that those who hear and watch will grow in their faith one step closer to you as a result. If there are some that do not know you as their Lord, please draw their hearts to you as they hear how others are testifying about their stand for you.  

In Jesus Name,

Amen

John 17:11, 15, 26; John 12:32; John 19:35

Day Four of 40 Days of Prayer for FRC

Father,

You promise that if we train our children in the way they should go that when they are old they won’t depart from it. I believe in your promises, Lord. I trust that you can overcome any destructive decisions that our children make in their life.

Many families experience their young adults going astray from the faith and dappling in the gods of this culture. We know that you love these young people. We know that each one is precious to you. Please do not let these young people be snatched from the Father’s hand. Circle each one with your love. Give them eyes to see the foolishness of this world and help them see clearly your truth. Draw their hearts back to you, so that they are not eternally damaged by their wanderings. Protect them, guide them, and bring them back home to your heart. 

Please give grace to the parents of these young people. Give them the words to speak to their sons and daughters. Give them the patience needed to await your miracle in their child’s life. In their grief, restore thier hope. Increase their faith in your promises and in your amazing power to change the course of their child’s life. Restore to them the years that the locust have eaten.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Joel 2:25; Luke 17:5; Proverbs 22:6

Day Three of 40 Days in Prayer for FRC

Father,

You have promised that if we remain in you, you will remain in us; you have also promised that whatever we ask in your name, it will be done for us. All of this is for your glory. Bearing fruit for you shows others that we are your disciples. Thank you for the opportunity to be in you and you in us. Thank you that we can be strengthened by your Spirit. Thank you that we can love with your love and give grace to others with your grace.

I lift up the staff and the spiritual leadership of FRC. Revive each one when they become weary. Strengthen them when they become tired. Grant each one rest for their souls, so they can continue to do your work and finish what you have assigned them to do. Keep the leadership in perfect unity - of one mind, one faith and one love. Keep each member laser focused on your will. Give them an urgency to disciple others. Give them the power to encourage others to live for you and lean on your power. Grant each one great influence through your Spirit. Thank you that you have loved each one enough that they can be heirs with you and share in your glory.

Hear my prayer, Lord God Almighty; listen to me, God of Jacob; shield us with your favor. We are blessed because our strength is in you.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Psalm 84:5-12; John 15:7-8

Day Two of 40 Days in Prayer for FRC

Father,

Thank you for the comfort you give each one of us through your Holy Spirit. You have not left us as orphans but have promised to be with us always. You come to us in our need and rejoice with us in our blessings. You are the way, the truth and the life. No one can have the hope we have without you. May we never forget this truth!

I lift up our church family today. Many are hurting from severe losses. You know their names. Many are struggling with past difficulties. Many need desperate peace. You have said that we would have troubles in this world, yet, you have overcome the world. We do not want the peace of this world, only the peace that you offer. Because of you, we can still have joy even in the midst of our difficulties.

While many are burdened with troubles and need relief, never relieve us of the burden to tell the lost about your son, Jesus. Burden us with your heart of love for all people. Unify us in one mission: becoming fully devoted disciples and making disciples.  

Help us be just like the first church in Acts. They were devoted to the teachings of the Apostles-may we be zealous to follow the word of God at River Club. They were also devoted to their fellow believers - may we be loyal to each other at River Club. 

Give us a special sensitivity toward meeting the needs of each other whether it’s by prayer, a listening ear, a phone call, a cup of coffee, or by tangible means. Give us eyes to see the need; give us a heart to give; take away the desire to hold tightly to our possessions. Help us to love to give more than loving to receive. 

Help each person see the foolishness in their daily routine compared to the need to share Jesus with those far from God. Give us an urgent evangelistic heart for all who need you.

In Jesus Name,

Amen

John 14:6, 18, 27; Matthew 28:19-20

Day One of 40 Days In Prayer for FRC

Father, 

I thank you that you hear me when I call to you. You always hear me; you are always listening, for your heart is for me and for your people. You love each one of us. Thank you for saving us from our sins through your son, Jesus Christ. May Jesus always be proclaimed with power and passion through each one of us at Fairview @ River Club. 

We know that when we seek you with a broken, contrite and humble heart you will answer and show us great and mighty things that we do not know. We trust you. Break us, Lord. Humble us. And keep us close to your passions and your desires. May we honor you above all else. And keep your word and your ways in our every day actions.

We ask you specifically, Father, to bring 500 people to the community event we have planned for August 30th: the Carnival/Movie Night. Yes, we pray for fun, great fellowship and safety. But more than this we pray for divine appointments made by you. We ask that your love for us and through us will be felt and experienced by each person who comes that evening. 

Help us, Lord, to be intentional and courageous to share the truth about your son, Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life for all people. Give us an urgency in our hearts to share you with those far from God. 

Provide for every detail for that evening. We lay this at your feet and we trust that this event and more importantly, the people will be in your outstretched hand - for nothing is too difficult for you! 

In Jesus name,
Amen. 

John 11:42; Jeremiah 3:33, 17

Do You Parent as a Hireling? Or a Shepherd?

“Jesus is the good shepherd. He laid down his life for the sheep. However, the hireling (hired hand) is not the shepherd. (It’s easy to distinguish these two by how they each care for the sheep.) The hireling does not own the sheep, therefore, when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The hireling runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep” (John 10:11-13).

What a great example for parents to pay attention to. Jesus is our model to follow. How He cares for us is exactly how we are to care for our children. However, numerous parents today act more like the hireling instead of the loving shepherd God has called them to be.

Let’s unpack this passage and learn what the Spirit of God is trying to tell each of us that call ourselves parents. What did Jesus do? He laid down His life for His sheep. This means He gave His all even when His all screamed “I want out – pass this cup from Me!” When times were tough and the calling became a wounded fate, Jesus pressed into the sheep with more love instead of retreating and giving up. Why? Because His love for His flock was far greater than His comfort and personal satisfaction. After all, Jesus came to do the will of God and to finish His work. God’s will and work is LOVE. The greatest love a parent can demonstrate to their children is TO LAY ASIDE THEIR OWN DESIRES AND PICK UP THE DESIRES OF THOSE IN THEIR CARE.  Isn't the calling for each of us to “not look to our own interest but to look to the interests of others?” (Phil. 2:4). Aren't we to have the mindset of Christ?

Now let’s look at the hireling. We discover that he does not own the sheep, meaning he has no investment of the sheep in his care. And when fear of danger comes, he cares for #1 – himself. Sadly, the whole flock in his care scatters in fear. They suddenly lack direction and have no plan for how to live without the hireling who was to lead them. The hireling is a deadbeat leader. All he produces is sloth.

Parents, if you have come to the conclusion that it’s time to give up on your children, then you have chosen your desires over theirs. Yes, parenting is hard. It is harder for some than others. Just ask my mom – after all, she did raise me and I assure you, I was no picnic to raise. Nevertheless, she never gave up and I am a fully devoted follower of Jesus as a result – I am one that not only has a place in heaven but also one who is committed to doing the will of God and finishing His calling on my life. This innate desire to follow God all the way in every way was not instilled in me by a hireling of a parent – my mother was/is one who imitates her Savior. I have greatly benefited from her commitment to Jesus.

Having four children of my own has also brought many challenges in my life.  These challenges have served to make me holy not happy. True joy has been found in obeying and seeking the Lord’s ways instead of pursuing immediate relief from trials. I do understand the difficulties of parenting, but I also understand being the child who needed a parent to love me the way Jesus loves His sheep.

Giving up is letting our children down. Doing whatever it takes to support them is letting our children go. The greatest love a parent can give their child is perseverance and endurance. As parents we have been discharged with training our children in the way they should go. Did Jesus say this would be easy? No, He said in this world we will have trouble. But He has overcome the world. His way is the only means to true success. His way is an intentional act of love. Giving up on our children thwarts and disobeys God’s command to train our children in the way they should go. Giving up eventually kills our children’s hope and their future. It murders any possible lasting relationship a parent can have with them. Countless parents take this route to give up. Unfortunately, this pattern of giving up has left our society with volumes of young adults wondering through life without purpose and support. As a result of this poor parenting model, our society is missing the untapped talent and contribution these young adults can endow to a dying world. What a dishonor to these young adults and a disservice to our society!

Our position as Christian is marked by how we love. If we are living a life that dishonors our children and refuses to bear their burdens and persevere for them until they can stand on their own two feet, have we not left our first love? Yes, indeed we have! Living a life of love is not embracing good feelings and comfort for self – it’s living a life of hard choices, endurance and sacrifice. All three benefits the other party and usually require a detriment to ourselves.

Parents, we are called to be a drink offering and a sacrifice that develops faith in our children. “Love…does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking…it keeps no record of wrongs…it always perseveres…love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

How to Discern Our Next Step

Jesus was constantly up against opposition, yet He stood His ground in His Father’s plans. He did not reduce Himself to human standards, nor did He entrust Himself to man. For He knew the heart of man; it is deceitful and wicked beyond measure. He also knew that man is limited by his sight. Jesus’ resources came (and come) from His Father in Heaven.

Jesus was not careless or frivolous with His Father’s plans. His time on earth was intentional, efficient and successful. His mission was not just redemption for mankind; His goal was to expose darkness, shed His light, give hope, share God’s love, make devoted followers of Him, and equip others to do the same. His mission was a three year seminary and He did not have time to waste. He did not delay based on man’s timing; He waited on God’s timing. But when God's hour came, Jesus moved regardless of whether man would approve or disapprove. 

Jesus knew the next step of His mission because He spent regular time with His Father in prayer receiving directions. He said of himself, “…what I have heard from my Father is what I tell the world” (John 8:26). His next move was found in the on-going relationship He had with the Father. What did He find in this time? Not only answers, but He found the resolve to stand in the midst of assault and challenge. 

If we are not spending regular time in prayer with the Father, then how is it that we can possibly know the next step to take in our own life? I encourage you (and myself) to cut off the radio during the long commute to work and pray. (Part of praying is listening, too.) Go to bed ten minutes early, and pray. In the middle of the night when the insomnia intruder wakes you, pray. (Sometimes our greatest revelations from the Father are in the middle of the night.) Close your eyes from time to time throughout the day and take a moment of silence, and pray. In these quiet places where the world stops spinning, you will discover great riches that you do not even know about. You will discover our Savior and the plan for your life. Like Jesus, you will know your next steps.

Jesus taught, “If you hold to My teachings, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). You are probably saying, “Hey, wait a minute! How can you say that I need to be set free? I am no one’s slave!” Really?

Then why do you feel overwhelmed? How much of man’s ideas control your actions? To whom do you give most of your resources? What worldly truths are you singing in your heart? I challenge you to think again. If you are not at peace – who chained you? If you are feverishly climbing the corporate ladder – who’s driving you? If you have nothing to give to others – who robbed you? If you are singing lyrics that uphold man – who is teaching you? 

The Jews had the same reply to Jesus when He said they needed to be free. What was Jesus’ response? “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies….Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God” (John 8:44-47). Now those are harsh words, but nonetheless truth right from our Savior’s mouth! Truth is often times hard to swallow; however, if swallowed and given the chance to digest, the rotten is discarded and the good is shaped. 

Jesus’ mission was to radically redeem and change the heart of mankind. There was no time to waste in his three years of ministry. He often used a sledgehammer to communicate His truth pointedly. Yes, there are those times of soothing quiet rebukes, but we usually receive them that way because our heart is already poised to listen, not because the hammer was any gentler. 

Don’t plan your life by human standards or limit it through man’s sight – be free, go beyond, seek what lasts not what rusts. Jesus taught us the practice of Jeremiah 33:3, “Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

Don't Be a Dummy in the Devil's Playground

Our culture is becoming more intrigued by mystics; and its impacting believers of Christ, too. Some are being strayed away from the truth being led to believe that to know God supernaturally can be accomplished by going beyond the scriptures, doctrine, teachings and the church. While they claim that these four are important, they spend a great deal of time seeking a supernatural experience – almost paranormal and otherworldly.

Timothy tells us these people need to come to their senses and escape the trap of the devil. Indeed they do! They often engage in godless and empty chatter which leads to destruction of their very souls. These people even have the power to destroy the faith of others, sadly because others are not rooted in truth.  These others are week willed and saturated with the sin of SELF.

Timothy states so clearly that “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Notice the purpose of scripture: teach-rebuke-correct-train. What is the servant of God being taught, rebuked, corrected and trained for? Good work and that good work is to serve others – not themselves. The only service to us is to be equipped for God’s will. The greatest of God’s will (commands) is to love God and love others.

What I find interesting is how these mystics hide in small obscure places for their “church” services – a place to practice “their ministry” in secret. I also notice how small these gatherings are. The recycling of the congregants (where some go and come back) is perceived as growth when in fact all that is growing is a deceived body of followers. We are supposed to be a city on the hill, a light burning brightly not to be hidden.

Jesus rebuked the devil’s temptation with His value of the word of God, “…Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).  Bread is of the world; it sustains our temporary body; but our souls need to live off the word of God. We have been blessed with God’s words – the words He has granted us to live by. If there is more to come, which I am sure there is, we have not been granted this as of yet. We need to trust Jesus when he said to his disciples, “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now” (John 16:12). Seeking beyond what God has given us is a dangerous thing, because we end up with what the flesh or demons produce not what is of God. God has restricted us from knowing anything beyond His word. Trust Him with His word and what He has given! Going beyond His boundaries creates a tsunami of deathly problems.

God has also given us the gift of the church. The church serves the purposes of fellowship, accountability, support, prayer, and solid doctrinal teachings. The first church’s disciples were devoted to the Apostles teachings, to prayer, to fellowship and breaking of bread. (Acts 2:42) Being devoted is to heed our leader's leading and make this gathering a priority in our lives. The writer of Hebrews encourages us, “…to consider how we can spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together…” (Hebrews 10:25). If we neglect the church, we seclude ourselves and become susceptible to the twisting of truth by the devil. We cannot go beyond the church to find God – when we do we quench His Spirit whom lives in others.

Fellowship, growing in God’s word together, worshiping with one another bonds us to God, the Son and Spirit together as One. The very desire Jesus prayed for us is found in John 17:21-23, “Father, just as you are in me and I am in you, may they (we) also be in us so that the world may believe that you sent me…that they may be one as we are one – I in them and you in me – so that they may be brought to complete unity.”  Jesus also prayed that we would each be sanctified by truth – not sanctified by experiences or other worldly aromas, environments, or psychic bizarre happenings. The latter gives a superficial power to people while the former glorifies God’s power on earth. The aim is to make Jesus evident to all on earth – not reveal how great we are.

God is Spirit. Jesus makes God known through human flesh. Jesus tore the curtain and allowed the opportunity for the Spirit of God to live inside us making God evident to others through our flesh. While, we are not God, we do bring Him glory by His Spirit living through us. Without Jesus, we would not be able to bring God glory. Jesus is God – He is the exact representation of His Father in Heaven (Hebrews 1:3). He is God with us (Matthew 1:23). He is Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6). He is God and Savior (2 Peter 1:1). He is the Word who was God in the beginning (John 1:1).

The difference between the fruit of the Spirit and the fruit of mysticism is who is gaining glory. The Spirit seeks to glorify God and edify others; mysticism seeks to glorify and edify self. Mystics seek an atmosphere, they create channels for spirits that result in shaking and convulsing. Their minds become fuzzy, so they can be easily persuaded. They think their every thought is a word from God; they see no need to test the spirits. They simply fly forward with their internal leanings. They seldom look to the word for they think they have elevated above it and found a new pathway to who God is. This proves that mysticism has a very inward focus -  to the point of being senseless not serviceable. 

On the other hand, the Spirit of God produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23). All of this fruit serves others. This fruit magnifies God’s character; each explains Him. Each equips us for ministry to God’s people; by this fruit we are prepared to lead the lost to Christ.

Mysticism may be tempting and intriguing, especially living in world of stress.  It can temporarily serve our need to calm our nerves, but it is dangerous. You may have an encounter that makes you think, “I could not have had this without God!” However, you can have “otherworldly” encounters without God – you can have them with the devil. He seeks to deceive you through being a camouflage of light…but then he whams you with his evil purposes in the end. That purpose is to steal, kill and destroy you and any kind of representation you have of Christ. In essence, when you go the route of mysticism, you become a puppet in the devil’s hand. You are not in control, nor do you have power. You are a dummy in a demon’s playground.

Jesus says, “Sanctify them in truth. Your Word is truth” (John 17:17). Isaiah said, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8). Going beyond God’s teachings, His holy scriptures, His flawless doctrine and steering from the purpose of His church that equips us is to sell our soul to a multitude of sins. Don’t be a dummy in the devil’s playground! Be a useful vessel in God’s Kingdom and produce fruit that lasts!  

Don't Confuse God's Work with Man's

There is a teaching today that has bewitched our followers of Jesus. It is a teaching that is throwing our brothers and sisters of Christ into confusion and into spiritual stress. This teaching is actually perverting the gospel as Paul stated to the Galatian church many years ago. This is not a new teaching; it’s quite old, yet it has been resurrected into a new form. Its roots are deeply seeded in what the Judaizers of Paul’s day were teaching the Galatian church. What’s the teaching? Jesus plus something.

The Judaizers taught the Galatian church that in addition to faith in Jesus, they needed to also add the Law of Moses. They were focused on works instead of the gospel of grace. While most likely you may not find a church body arguing over whether they should be circumcised or not, you will find them arguing over other things that pertain to our present culture. A lot of energy is placed in the following teachings that have been added to Jesus: we should be attractive, enticing, entertaining, and serving. Those seem like really good verbs to be, but so was obeying the Law of Moses. Certainly the Law of Moses was holy and it provided boundaries for the people to live within. But its boundary was set before the Son of God came to teach us about God’s ultimate work of grace and love.

Take note: to be attractive, enticing, entertaining and serving has the tendency to focus on the works of man not the work of God. All of these are fruit of doing God’s work. However, most churches have this concept upside down or backward. The next question we must answer is “What is God’s work?”

Paul could not have put it anymore clearly, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” (Galatian 5:6). You could easily replace the word “circumcision and uncircumcision” with our modern day words. An example: “For in Christ Jesus neither attractive or unattractive has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” The reality is this, being attractive or not can’t be the goal. Likewise, nothing else can either. These modern day verbs may draw people to our churches, but they do not draw them to the heart of Lord. In time, when the attraction becomes dull and there is no love being expressed, you can count on these people disappearing and remaining as lost as they were when they first came. 

As I said before, attraction, enticement, entertainment (the wow factor) and service are only fruit of God’s work of faith being expressed through love. When we get this upside down, we humans have the tendency to set our efforts, agendas, ideas, and hard work as the god to follow. Suddenly God’s work of love is a secondary thought or confused with only being expressed through our work. In the end, we tire and have no energy to love anyone.

What is God’s love? There is a clear definition given in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; instead of a list of works to do, use this definition as a list of love to express. One of the reasons a church family reaps the fruit of being attractional, is because of the love expressed. For example, I may have my list of things to do on a Sunday morning; and believe me, it’s a long one as I am the Children’s Minister, but I will say, none of them matter when a hurting soul approaches me and needs my listening ear and my grace. My joy is made complete when I can practice one part of the biblical definition of the love of God everyday. A listening ear practices patience and kindness. A helping hand provides protection and shows perseverance.

All the works of man mean nothing to the work of God if done without his love. If we need Jesus plus something, then we don’t need Jesus at all. Adding the something replaces Jesus in the end. When lived like this, we reap only as far as a human can go, which is quite limited by the way. But when we do God’s work of love, there is no measure in the fruit that God will bring. His love covers a multitude of sin; His love repairs the broken heart; his love replaces despair with hope; his love changes anger to understanding; his love brings peace to our anxious spirit; the list is limitless when it comes to the fruit of God’s love.

Beware of this false teaching: Jesus plus something. Jesus is enough! All the “somethings” we reap is the harvest of Jesus being enough. Yours and my job today is to express our faith in Jesus through love. Practice love today not man’s energy. 

Begin and End with the Spirit of God

Baby Christians are so inspiring! They are filled with such energy and passion for Christ. They see Jesus as their close friend. They are hungry for His truth and they just can’t seem to get enough of Him. They are enamored by the grace and power of God’s Spirit that lives inside them. They soak up what the Spirit teaches them and their lives drip with His presence.  It’s the same with church plants. The energy felt is like the excitement before vacation. You just can’t wait to see what God has in store for you and His church body. Their expectations are high and their faith strong! 

However, often times as the days, months, and years of being a Christian go by, or when a church grows, there are some who lose their saltiness-they lose their taste. They dry up. They will lay dormant the Spirit of God and quench His power. Those in this place seem to be unaware that they have changed. Nonetheless, even in their unawares they have noticed that the power once experienced has diminished. Suddenly they no longer see the influence they once had on others. They become stagnant and feel hopeless. In this condition, what are some of the ways these Christians (or churches) try to overcome their complacency?

Some work harder. They find more to do. In church ministry, they create community events, more church programs, compelling service projects, etc. These aren't wrong, but if activity is the fire that fans the flame, be assured it will eventually die. Feeling worn out, burned out, and overwhelmed begin to burden the Christian (and the church body). Often the questions posed from these individuals are, “Is this all there is,” or “Why do I feel so dead?” Soon they realize that they are just like the Jews who heard Isaiah say, “Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there – so that they will go and fall backward, be injured and snared and captured.” They aimlessly work and work becoming more tired and weak. They end up wasting themselves and God’s resources as they labor; in the end their endeavors are not winning anyone to Christ, just sapping their body and the body of Christ.

Some read more books and attend more conferences. They are running here and there learning how other churches make the impact on their community. They seek the answers to questions, “How to grow our church?” or “How to experience the “wow” in ministry or the Christian life?” They seek and seek, but soon realize the truth of Solomon, “of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body” (Ecclesiastes 12:11b). Yes, they learn a few new things and implement them into their own life (or ministry); it works for a time, but they eventually wind up back in that complacent place wondering how to revive their soul with the energy they once had in in their beginning with Christ.

Paul addresses this problem with a question in which we find the answer: “After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3). God never intended to give us His Spirit so that we can live the Christian life by our flesh. His Spirit is a gift to us; without Him controlling our lives, we will experience defeat, apathy, complacency and failure. It doesn't really matter how many “good” things we do or seek; if we are not seeking to do and be through the Spirit of God, we will fail, run in circles, and tire from our efforts.

If our flesh could live righteously, why do we need Jesus? Reading books, attending conferences, doing service projects, holding events are all good IF they are led by the Spirit of God. They cannot be man-led nor can they be man-inspired. Don’t make the mistake and believe the lie that what was Spirit-led by one church or one individual means it is for your church or for you. God works with each of us as individuals. That is one of the reasons I feel so loved by my Heavenly Father. When Jesus looks at me, He sees me not someone else He wants me to be. He desires to fill my individuality with His power. Likewise, each church body has their own individuality that He desires to saturate with His energy not our flesh. After all, our flesh has its limits, but God’s power through His Spirit knows none!  I ask you, if you have lost your fervor and feel dead, then recover your life by submitting to the Spirit of God and die to your flesh.

Experience Defined and Tested

Experience can be defined as our spirit being affected by the Spirit (or spirits) around us. These effects touch all of our senses. They are real and valid. For example, every day we are assaulted by the spirits around us. If we are filled with God’s Spirit, we encounter the Him moving in our life. But the real question that needs to be resolved is, “How do we know if our experiences are from God’s Spirit or from the spirits of this world?”

Since experience is the result of our spirit reacting to the spirits or the Spirit of God around us, it is imperative that we test our experiences by the word of God. All experience is not from God, it can come from evil spirits wrapped in a camouflage of light.

I have often heard from many good well-meaning Christians, “This was my experience. You cannot deny its validity.” My response, “True, but I can test your experience against the Word of God to determine what spirit is affecting your encounter.” We are commanded with great earnest from John to “not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). Note: false prophets often come from among the body of Christ not outside of it. They know just enough of the truth to be dangerous to the flock of God. To know the difference between a true teacher of God and one who is false is to test their every word, experience, and teaching against the truth of God’s Word.

All experience is not to be embraced. James tells us clearly, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you” (James 4:7-8). A clear command is given: resist the experience that does not align itself with the Word of God! It doesn't matter if the experience is real. The devil works in the real, so he can deter us from the Lord. Those who embrace experiences for the sake of experience can dangerously walk into a spirit world that will destroy them in the end. Yes, like sin, the new phenomenon may give a sense of power, but that is how the devil works: power precedes ruin. Ruin is the prize a person seeking only experience wins.

This is why our worship must encompass the spirit and the truth. As Jesus said, “…true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks” (John 4:23). It is also good to note, that just because we call ourselves Christians and just because we are filled with the Spirit of God does not mean we can’t be lured away from God by the evil spirits around us. The quickest way to be the devil’s prey is to dismiss the Word of God from our daily life and only embrace “feel good” experiences.

One of the ways I can tell if a brother or sister in Christ is testing their own experiences by the truth is when their experience is confronted by another believer. Their response says it all. If they respond with a humble grateful acceptance to the discussion, they have a heart that seeks the truth. If they haughtily defend their experience without proving it by the word of God – beware. You may very well have encountered one who is slipping into the realm of other spirits. Pray for them!

Now it is also important to take into consideration that testing the spirits by the truth is NOT testing experiences against our personal preferences- this would be judgment and slander against a brother or sister. There is only one Judge and Lawgiver James tells us – that is God, Himself. His Word is what we test all by not our own likes or dislikes.

Likewise, our worship is not to be sense (less) -without senses. “…true Spirit-led worship does not deny the five senses. We see other believers; we sing and hear the hymns; we taste and feel the elements of the Lord’s Supper. But these external things are but windows through which faith perceives the eternal” (Weirsbe). Our goal is to experience God in our life, not to experience experiences for the sake of encounters alone.

Impacting Our Own Corner

As Christians we can become quite overwhelmed with the command Jesus commissioned us with: go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…” (Matthew 28:19-20).

We can make the mistake believing that the whole world is on our shoulders. While this command was for all Christians, even Paul and Peter, the great apostles, knew who their calling was to and filled it intentionally. They did not go to all the nations. They each had a slice of this earth in which to spread the gospel.  Paul went to the Gentiles and Peter to the circumcised (Jewish).

Now let me ask you a question, “Why do you think God had 120 disciples gathered at Pentecost to receive the Holy Spirit who enabled them to speak many different languages?  At the same time this was happening every nation under heaven was represented in Jerusalem. Was that coincidence? Of course not. God does not work in the world of coincidence. He works in His sovereign, meticulous laid out plan for mankind. Each disciple was anointed with the Holy Spirit and given a gift of ONE foreign language, so they could speak the gospel to the ONE slice of this earth represented in Jerusalem. Once the gospel was received by that person, they in turn could go to their nation and share the gospel.  Each of the 120 disciples was faithful to their calling and to their gift. Result: the gospel spread like wildfire!

God has given you and me, and each Christian a slice of this world to share His good news of Jesus Christ. Some He has given a country (even in this, only a slice). Some, he has given neighbors, co-workers, or family members. Parents, God has given you your children. He did not give each of us the whole world, only a slice. When we start trespassing in the areas God has not given to us to reach, it keeps us from impacting those God has assigned to us. Sadly, when we don't focus on God's assignment, we constipate the process of the gospel being widely spread. 

I know too many parents who focus more on missions and serving their community than their own children. They forget the very young disciples in their home, or at best give them the leftovers (if there is any left). God does not just give us children to enjoy or to pass along the family line. We have a responsibility to make disciples of each one. This is our Jerusalem. We may find as parents we are in our Jerusalem more than any other place. It's a season, but one that is critical to the spiritual upbringing of each child. If we are not careful to disciple our children, we end up adding to the masses of the lost that need to be reached, when we could be adding to the ranks of disciple-makers who are leading those far from God to Christ. 

Let us be laser-focused on God’s calling for each of us. We all have one mission: share the gospel with the lost. But we all have different people, groups, and communities in which to fulfill that mission. Time is passing – let’s stop wasting it by playing in another’s corner and start impacting our own corner whatever that may be. 

Exasperated Children

“Fathers (and mothers), do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord” 

(Ephesians 6:4 emphasis added).

          An exasperated child is a frustrated, irritated, vexed and angry person. A constant dose of exasperated parenting in a child’s life can sever the parent-child relationship forever. This child will run from home never to be seen again unless the parent comes to full repentance (even then, it takes a miracle for recovery). Hazing parents run the risk of their children ignoring any of the good taught; because the child will throw out all (good and bad) as they see these lessons as one in the same. In essence, a parent unwilling to love their child with patience and understanding is a parent who has raised their child to live life alone without guidance.

          Many parents do not know what to do with their child when they turn 18 and still live at home. Some parents choose not to change their role; they insist on seeing their children as the same young developing age they were when they were young. Some remove their kids (a.k.a. kick out) from the home too early without preparing them for life on their own. However, successful parents will adjust their parenting style to their young adult’s needs. They learn to strike a balance between compromise and compliance so that their child will have opportunity to make choices, fail, learn, and grow while still under the influence of their parents. These parents choose to remove themselves from the role of overseer to mentor.  

A mentor guides their child’s decisions, not dictates them. An overseer is a manager; when a child is young, a child’s life needs managing, but God’s plan for each person is to learn to manage themselves. This change in parenting roles helps a young adult move from being an immature adolescent to an established successful adult. Does this mean young adults will make mistakes? Yes. Will they make some wrong decisions? Of course. Most of us at that young age made mistakes and learned from them.  Mistakes are one of the pathways to maturity. Let them learn. Let them fail. Pick them up with encouragement, not hindrance.

Understanding each adult child and their unique time frame of development is also a critical piece to mentoring them well. They all grow and mature at different paces. This is another area where a parent needs to strike a balance between pushing (prompting forward) and waiting on God’s motivation to help the child advance. When parents push their child to the point of exasperation, they end up accelerating their child’s failures to dangerous levels instead of learning levels. The waiting periods demand active prayer. The prompting periods demand God’s truth. Both work together to help an adult child move forward in their life with success. In the end, an adult child who is mentored and not managed will be one who returns often to continue that parent-child bond they hold so dear.

          

The Enemy Taunts All Day but God is Our Support

When life is a jumble of chaos, what sustains your energy to press forward or inward? When stresses are at the height of uncertainty and your emotions are at the brink of breakdown, what keeps your reaction God-honoring? What wind do you fill your sails of life with so that you maintain your course and withstand the storms with victory?

My husband and I watched a great movie last night, Seven Days in Utopia. Landing in the small town of Utopia after blowing his pro golf debut, Luke finds himself in the schoolroom of an old rancher who teaches him success from God’s view instead of his own fleeting talent.  

Talents, personal gifts, and achievements are temporary if accomplished through one’s own strength and power. Yet, if the following truths given by the old rancher in this movie are heeded, we find that our soul reaches higher feats than we may have originally thought to pursue. The old rancher teaches that there are four practices needed in order to reach success: 

• Convictions
• Rhythm  
• Balance
• Patience   

Convictions answer the why behind what we do. Rhythm keeps us in step with the Holy Spirit so we can work, rest and rejuvenate our soul. Balance allows God’s power to give us inner success even when we experience defeat. Patience gives us reason to ponder, plan, and push at the appropriate times.These four practices produce emotional control; they allow us to take life as it comes, and they keep us calm when we win and lose. 

I like the definition of SFT that the old rancher tells Luke. He says that Luke will find success in all things when he...

“Sees God’s face; Feels His presence, and Trusts His love.”

Life is filled with anxious uncertainty. We worry as we borrow time from today to solve tomorrow’s problems. When we do this, we end up losing the energy to solve our present challenges. We live in fear of tomorrow’s failures giving us no time to celebrate today's achievements. But life can be different for us. If we make a conscience effort to see God’s face above life’s challenges; if we take time to be still and feel His presence we can then appreciate the gift of today; if we trust His love expecting His promises to be true in our life, we can find peace instead of tension.

With conviction, I know “we can trust that God will reach down from on high and take hold of us and draw us out of the deep waters of anxious fear; we can be assured that God will rescue us from the powerful enemy of uncertainty that seems so strong to us; the enemy may taunt us all day, BUT THE LORD IS OUR SUPPORT! He will bring us into a spacious place where we are rescued. And why does God do all this for us? For one reason only: He delights in you and me!” (Psalm 18:16-18 adapted).   

Trusting in the fleeting winds of this world only leads to sails that are tattered and torn, but trusting in the winds of God’s power leads to accomplishments of sustaining value: we find faith, relationships, character and love. These are the winds in my sails and they sustain my journey; they keep my soul steady and strong.  My body is sure to follow if my soul leads with God’s power.