The Choice

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know what to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again." Philippians 1:21-26

Paul had come to the point of absolute surrender where his will was lost in the will of God. He wasn't free from the desire to live among his friends. He was was just overwhelmed by his desire to depart, and be with Jesus. If he remained, he saw it as a necessary encouragement for others, but not necessarily an improvement for him. What a perspective.

Paul had become convinced that live or die, his mission remained the same, "your progress and joy in the faith, so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus." Paul was absolutely surrendered to the will of God, and completely focused on unplugging his followers from a dependency on himself. His desire was for their joy and confidence to be based on their faith in Christ.

Most of my mentors have passed on to Heaven. As great as they were, they had one common limitation. They simply lacked the capacity to live forever, in the flesh. Arville and Pauline Senter, Dr. W. Fred Swank, Dr. Leon Hill, Dr. Harry Piland, Dr. Paul Gray, Dr. Curtis Vaughan, Dr. Paul S. James, and a host of other men and women of God invested themselves in my life. I miss them all, but no matter how much they meant to me, then and now, they were never meant to be a substitute for The Presence of Jesus.

Paul was held in high esteem by some, undermined by others, betrayed by a few, and today is remembered by millions. His focus in life was on making a difference, not making a name for himself. Jesus makes the difference in a person's life, and this is where Paul spent his time pointing people to find their joy and confidence in living.

Any broken relationship I have ever experienced in my life can be traced to a failure to meet expectations. My failure to meet someone's expectation of me, or their failure to meet an expectation of mine brought about a loss of joy and confidence. Simply put, people disappoint one another. Jesus never fails.

Note to self: The old honky-tonk song of the early 1980s used to say, too many people are "Looking for love in all the wrong places." Expecting from people what only Jesus can provide is a train wreck looking for a place to happen.

"Progress and joy in the faith" is an uplifting phrase, and almost a candidate for a Hobby Lobby throw pillow, until it is examined in the harsh light of reality, and not the warm glow of a scented candle. The word "progress" is rooted in the same word that describes the process by which metal is lengthened and shaped by a metal-smith pounding or hammering it out.

"Joy" is the capacity to see God's hand-prints in the process, In spite of the painful hammering going on in one's life. The one being made in God's image has an over-riding gladness that they are in His hands and in His will.

"The faith" is not an adherence to a set of principles or the embracing of a world view. It describes the secure relationship that has been established with Jesus by placing one's total confidence and trust in Him. The faith is not a concept or a value system, but a relationship with Jesus that is maintained by consistent companionship and believing prayer.

Paul had found this faith relationship with Jesus to be the one thing that he wanted to leave behind for those who may someday be disconnected from him. He knew that Jesus would never leave them or forsake them, no matter what the crisis or the circumstance might be.

Paul's Prison Epistles read like they are written by a free man. His life or death held great importance to him, but he chose to leave them both in God's hands. He focused on praying for those who put their trust in him, to transfer their confidence to Christ. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Relationship

"For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:19

"Your prayers and the provision of the Spirit" are the essential signs of a personal relationship with Jesus. They are the vital signs of a healthy Christian and the foundation of a healthy church. Wise prayer warriors enlist the former, and never let the enemy cut off their supply lines to the latter.

Paul had an over-riding confidence in the knowledge that his life and times were guided by the hand of a Sovereign God. He was not a helpless victim, or a hopeless twig floating down river to eventual destruction. He was a man on a mission, with a message of hope, and he was indestructible until God's purpose for his life had been accomplished. As Ron Dunn so often preached, Paul may have been in prison, but he was "Chained to the Chariot."

Prayer is all about a relationship with Jesus. It is not a cash cow to be milked, a system to be worked, or merely a principle to be applied. Too often, prayer becomes more about "my deliverance" and less about "the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ."

Note to self: For you to know more about the provision of The Spirit, prayer must be less about your will, and more about God's will. Jesus prayed, "Not MY will, but THY will be done." Follow his lead, and lean into The Yoke relationship.

As pleased as Paul was that The Gospel was being spread throughout the Praetorian Guard, he was still interested in deliverance from his guards and his chains. This didn't make him less honest to God. Prayer should always be an honest expression of one's heart-felt desires.

God is not fooled by prayers filled with false piety or empty platitudes, He already knows the desires of the heart before words come out of the mouth.

Paul wanted to be delivered. That is understandable. He called for people to intercede for "my deliverance." That is commendable. He expected "the provision of The Spirit." Jesus is dependable.

Prayer provided Paul the peace of God, while waiting for His timing for Paul's deliverance. In spite of the knowledge that he was expendable, Paul's words do not sound fatalistic, but expectant. Prayer has a way of instilling hope into the hopeless.

The prayers of his friends and the provision of The Spirit took the sting out of Paul's daily confrontation with death. He went to bed chained to a Roman guard, and woke up in the same condition. The delay of Paul's deliverance didn't cause Paul to despair of God's denial of it. He just kept calling on his friends to pray, and and trusting in the provision of The Spirit to deliver him.

Prayer is not just a death-defying discipline. It is a life-giving relationship. Paul drew hope from the intercession of believers, but his personal relationship with Jesus was experienced by personally praying for "the provision of The Spirit of Jesus Christ."

The prayers of others are incredibly encouraging. Anyone who has ever received a phone call, or a prayer card from a friend knows the truth of this statement. Still, they are no substitute for calling out to God for "the provision of The Spirit of Jesus Christ."

The greatest answer to prayer is a poor substitute for The Presence of Jesus. Paul drew strength from the prayers of others. Still, his own prayers were not so focused on his deliverance, as they were focused on The Deliverer.

Undeniably, prayer is a key to provision. Seasoned prayer warriors don't treat prayer as a key to the Treasury Room, but they use it to unlock the arsenal of the weapons of The War Room. Prayer is not about financial welfare, as much as it is about spiritual warfare. Prayer opens up the door to a personal conversation with The Provider. He releases courage into the heart of the prayer warrior to stand with Him in the battle line.

The Spirit of Jesus Christ is The Champion, and The Captain of The Yoke. In both cases, prayer should lead to faithfully lining up behind The Champion for God's protection, and daily leaning into The Yoke, for His direction.

Paul trusted in the prayers of his friends, and the provision of The Spirit for God's direction, protection, and correction. God's delay in providing deliverance does not mean His denial of it. Through prayer, He offers prayer warriors, 'the provision of The Spirit of Jesus Christ." TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Truth

"It is true, that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God's provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance." Philippians 1:15-19 (The Books of The Bible NT)

There it is. The truth is there for all to see. Preachers have always had to rise above the motives and the man-handling of the message and the mission, by those who have been called to delver one and carry out the other. So much for restoring the purity and the piety of the !st Century Church in the contemporary version of it.

There are already plenty of hipsters and imposters, posing as preachers/ communicators who are busy re-branding the message, and reshaping the mission of the church in their own image.

Note to self: Pray for preachers who resist the envy and the rivalry and deliver the message and carry out the mission, filled with love and goodwill. They need it, and you need the practice.

Paul chose not to cultivate a spirit of resentment, though he knew there were those posing as his friends and preachers of the Gospel who wished him ill. For some reason, these rivals took some special pleasure in adding more weight to Paul's chains. He described them as "supposing they can stir up trouble for me." This was not prison paranoia running wild in Paul's heart. It was disgraceful behavior on their part. Where ever there is light, it always attracts bugs. These preachers were fruit-bearing, just fruit-flies. BIG DIFFERENCE.

"Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you”― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Paul's joy was rooted in The Spirit of Jesus Christ. He chose to rejoice that "Christ is proclaimed." (v. 18) This joy is not a foolish happiness over the fact that wrong-thinking people refused to do the right thing. Paul was no fool. His response was not the defeatist's passive-aggressive response of "Praise the Lord, anyhow." This hurt him, but he chose not to let it cripple him.

Joy is the capacity to remain calm in a crisis, by placing one's confidence in the strong arm and the sovereign will of God. Joy is based on a firm belief that there is no need to panic, until fear erupts on the face of Jesus. Joy comes from hitting one's knees, and refusing to hit the panic button.

Prayer keeps the fruit of joy alive, by praying for God's will to be done, in spite of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Joy is The Spirit's salve for a soul bruised and bleeding from wounds delivered by friend and foe.

By praying, a believer refuses to wallow in self-medicated pity, but chooses to respond with uninterrupted prayer and praise. Joy is produced by engaging in both. Crises, and conspirators will always provides the manure. The Spirit always produces the fruit. Focusing on the former, rarely produces the latter.

When hungry hunters are out of bullets, they reload. Shooting and missing their target is never fulfilling. The smell of gunpowder will never satisfy the stomach. If hunters desire to eat, they must fire again. The RE-load.

When a person is out of joy, they must RE-joice. This is much harder to do than reloading a gun. A person who is without joy is usually the one who has been shot at by an assassin. Still, RE-joice!

Note to self: #2 You can't spell assassin, without writing "ass" twice. Don't be one.

Joyless people often know when they have been targeted by assassins or hit by a crisis, but they also know when they have missed the point. The loss of joy will leave a person vulnerable to misinterpretation of what is happening to them. Paul took heart in the one thing that mattered most.

"The important thing is that in every way, whether from motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,..."

Paul didn't just face betrayal, he replaced it with joy. Entertainment is the world's substitute for joy. It is like replacing salt water with pure water and expecting it to satisfy. The world is always thirsting for something new, or someone funnier to entertain them. Entertainment gets old quick.

Don't settle for the entertainment industry's salt-water swill. What it offers will never satisfy. At best it has the life expectancy of a fruit-fly.

Joy lasts longer because it has an eternal source, The Fruit of The Spirit. When faced with a crisis or a conspirator, choose joy. It loosens the chains. When you lose joy, don't settle for pity. RE-joice. Don't take up an offense. Take a knee. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Circumstances

“Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.” Philippians 1:12-14

Paul described his imprisonment as “my circumstances.” For those who are the masters of disasters, given to holy hyperbole, overstatement and the melodramatic, Paul was the master of the understatement. He had the capacity to remain calm, until he saw what God was up to even in the darkest moments of his life.

Prayer provides night vision goggles, to see the hand of God at work, as well as the futile movements of the enemy. Unexpected, and extreme circumstances often appear to be impeding “the greater progress of the gospel.”  In fact, they may actually by powerfully, and effectively illuminating “the cause of Christ.”

Things are not always what they appear to be. A dead end street may actually be a bridge to a “Great Adventure.” When my wife, Dana, was diagnosed with breast cancer, she immediately embraced it as such. She even called it by that very name. Naming her pain was not an expression of a positive attitude, or wishful thinking on her part. It was a prayerful and powerful perspective. She was neither taking a flight of fancy, nor wallowing in reality. She was “trusting in the Lord.”  Thanks, Dana!

v Faith is a matter of perspective. F.A.I.T.H. = Facing Adversity I Trust Him.

Nothing improves a person’s perspective on the circumstances of life quite like praying through a crisis. Prayerless people hit the panic button at the first sign of a crisis. Prayerful people hit their knees. It is amazing how much a person’s perspective can improve when they allow the circumstances of life to drive them to their knees. Prayerless people will find themselves running in circles if they don’t stop an pray.

Prayerful people are not immune from the crises of life. They are just better stewards of them than prayerless people. Prayer provides “more courage to speak the word of the Lord without fear.” The place of prayer does not provide flimsy camouflage for those looking to hide in the tall grass. It gives the courage to stand on the firing line, right next to The Champion, and lean on Him for the meaning of the battle, and the means to win it.

The Praetorian Guard was an elite outfit, charged with guarding Paul. Praying through his crisis empowered Paul to share God’s love with his guards, in spite of his chains.  Prayer warriors are God’s Special Forces. When given the hardest assignments, they don’t run in panic from them. They pray their way through the dark, until they are standing next to The Champion. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Affection

"For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus, and this I pray that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and discernment." Philippians 1:9

Relationships often swing between two extremes. There is an expression of love that is possible without emotion, and another expression that is driven by it. No doubt, love is something that is done, not just something that is felt before it is done.

However, Paul's words give vivid description of love marked by feelings of longing, and affection. He even prays that those who love him, and those he loves will tap into the abundant resources that are available for even more of this priceless perfume of the church.

When Dana and I lived in Borger, Texas, we were introduced to a fabulous fajita joint. When the huge platters were carried out of the kitchen, they would arrive at our table sizzling and smoking. The air around our table would be a cloud of heavenly aroma. Whenever we left we carried the smell of the place on our clothing. Anyone who ever ate there will be able to recall being greeted by those who encountered them with, "Been to 'The Plaza?' " It was impossible to eat there without being warmed and filled on the inside, and one's clothing covered on the outside, with in the aroma of the place.

Love has a similar characteristic. It carries an aroma that touches the five senses. It is more than a mere feeling, but nonetheless, it can be felt and smelt (sp), specially when it is expressed God's way. When it fails His smell test, it is time to pray for more of it, at the church house, and at your house.

"This I pray" communicates Paul was putting strength, and energy, not wishful thinking into his expression. Prayer is rooted in the concept of wishing, but it is not wishful thinking. Prayer takes wishing to the next level. It places the fondest desires of one's heart before God, and leaves them there. Prayer doesn't hang them on a star.

Prayer is not a Disney concept of, "When you wish upon a star." It takes the strongest longings and deepest desires of one's heart and places them in the hands of God. Prayers are wishes of the heart, but wishes become prayers when they are placed in the hands of God, and with no one else.

Love as mentioned by Paul is the undeniable evidence of an undefeatable goodwill that only The Spirit of God releases in the heart of child of God. This kind of love is the fruit of The Spirit, and it is able to engage disagreeable people and rise above disconcerting circumstances, with the aroma of Heaven.

Note to self: Never settle for imitation fruit in your life. Lost people can tell the difference, and the shelves of the church are empty without it.

Most churches advertise more in their show windows than they have on their shelves. Church brochures, websites, slogans and signs are a great resource for empty platitudes. "The end of your search for a friendly church." Don't believe it, until you park in their spot or sit in their seat. But I digress.

Paul prayed that "love may abound, still more and more." He also indicated that this kind of love that he had for his fellow believers was an emotion, as well as a discipline.

Praying as a discipline without engaging in the love relationship with Jesus, is like ordering from a menu, but skipping the meal. It leaves one empty, not warmed and filled with His Presence. Loving without feeling any emotion is a worthy discipline, but it should not stop a person from praying for what is missing. Every believer should kneel in prayer and ask for God's love to "abound, still more and more." This was Paul's greatest wish It should be the greatest prayer of the church.

Prayer is the key to a love in one's heart for God and for others. Loving and praying are inseparably linked to the discipline and the emotion of love. Prayerless people are in danger of becoming loveless people. Eventually they run out of what they have on their shelves, and if they refuse to pray for more, they start handing out imitation fruit. It doesn't smell the same, and it never satisfies. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Feeling

"For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are all partakers of grace with me. For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and discernment..." Philippians 1:7-9

OPINION ALERT: Apparently Paul had strong, emotional feelings towards his fellow believers. He had room for them in his heart. If it is right to have believers in his heart, why is it hard to believe Jesus can hold that same place of honor. For those who belittle the idea of a believer inviting Jesus into their heart, Paul carried in his heart "the affection of Christ Jesus." Jesus brought it with Him when He took up residence in Paul's heart. He will do the same, when you invite Him into yours. But I digress.

Paul describes his feeling in a way that makes most men cringe. It has become fashionable of late for men to man-up and avoid talking about their feelings, regarding their relationship to Christ. This may be a backlash to the full court press men have had to endure, being challenged to go full bore Oprah, or become Dr. Phil converts on every issue in their lives.

Tears flowing, voices squeaking, and spewing anguished apologies, men have taken to the talk show circuit or cable news networks to pour out their hearts on a number of male issues. It hasn't been pretty, nor has it been especially productive. Crocodile tears and insincere remorse rarely add up to genuine repentance, or a real turnaround.

In this passage, Paul reveals a great deal about himself, and provides a beautiful picture of the fiery fellowship that warmed the hearts of the members of the early church. The church was not a legion of heartless robots. The felt something for one another, but it was more than a feeling.

Paul was touched by the love of the saints. They were ordinary people filled with an extraordinary love for Jesus and for one another. They were not driven by a set of core values to engage their culture. They were not driven at all, just forgiven, completely. They never got over being forgiven, by the love of God poured out on them at The Cross. They were drawn first to Jesus, then to one another and on to a lost world, by "the affection of Christ."

The church is not a family because they happen to be tied together by a common bond or gathered together in one assembly. Tying the tails of a cat and a dog together can unite them, but it doesn't make them one. Warring armies face each other on the same battlefield, but a family reunion doesn't take place. Two gangs arriving on the same turf doesn't result in an expression of sweet fellowship. Get the picture?

The church is a family because believers have one Father, and God is love. The love of God is released into the heart of a believer, and it is expressed out of the believer as "the affection of Christ." This takes place when facts, faith and feeling all come together, and a person with a broken heart places all their pieces in the hands of Jesus. When He is invited to come into their heart and make all things new, the "affection of Christ" is pumped throughout their body, into the Body of Christ, and towards a world in need of a blood transfusion of Christ's love.

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

The difference in Paul is striking. In Acts he is a raging purist seeking to wipe out heresy, where ever he finds it. In prison, the love of God now pours out of him freely and openly on those he once tried to kill.

In Paul's life, the "affection of Christ" was not just a natural emotion. It was super-natural transformation. Paul didn't just feel differently, about believers, he acted differently towards them. But make no mistake about it, love for others involves feeling, and inspires an expression of that feeling to others.

There is always a tendency, within the family of God, to warn believers to avoid going off the deep end, especially where feelings or emotions are concerned. This is usually wise counsel. The other extreme should be avoided as well, and with all due diligence, GOING OFF THE SHALLOW END.

Cold-blooded, doctrinally pure theology without any warmth, feeling or emotion connected to it, may parse "agape" with precision and perfection. It may result in a death-defying church, but it doesn't always translate into a life-giving one. Paul had a keen mind, and a hot heart. Believers need both if the church is going to have a pulse, and wrap their arms around one another and the world.

Don't be deceived, the love of Jesus abounds in the pursuit of real knowledge and discernment. When Jesus taught the Scriptures to the couple on the Road to Emmaus, they had an encounter with The Word that set them on fire. Their perspective changed. Their heart was warmed. Their sense of direction was changed. They not only learned something. They felt something. They did something.

"And they said one to another, 'Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?' " Luke 24:32 KJV

The "affection of Christ" is the result of consistent companionship with Jesus. Prayer is life-changing, heart-warming, soul-stirring, will bending, character-building conversation with Jesus. The Father will do what ever is necessary, and take as long as is needed to conform His children to the image of His Son.

Are studying and serving more, but still feeling a chill in your heart? Anything that cools your love for Jesus is sin. Prayer melts the ice of a frozen heart, and puts back the pieces of a broken heart. WARNING: Talking about Jesus is not a substitute for praying to Him. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Saints

"To all the saints in Christ who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:1-2

"The Saints" is a term more likely used in contemporary culture to describe a professional football team in New Orleans, than a group of believers in Philippi. When it is used in reference to another person, it often conveys the negative, not the positive. In others words, "He's no saint."

To describe "saint" without contextualizing it in the ancient text robs it of its rich heritage. In the suffocating darkness of a lost world filled with Roman decadence, Jewish legalism, unhinged immorality, abundant slavery, and toxic religions "the saints" were drawn to The Light. Paul recognized them as being "in Christ." Saints still are.

The Book of Acts contains one of the first references to "saint" being used to describe those who believed "in Christ." It was in the context of Paul's conversion. When Ananias was instructed by The Lord to go minister to the newly converted Saul, he resisted.

"But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem;" Acts 9:13

It is ironic, that Paul once saw "The Saints" as his enemies. By the time he is imprisoned in Rome, he views them as the brightest lights in the darkness. They are the ones he turns towards, in gratitude for all they have done for him. They are held in his memory with high esteem.

In more ornate language, "saint" means worthy of veneration. Simply put it means holy. In Scripture it is used interchangeably with references to The Spirit and The Saints. The two are inseparably linked.

Without The Holy Spirit there are no saints. Without The Saints, there is no evidence of the fruit of The Spirit. They do not co-exist in separate realms. They breathe the same air. It is the air of prayer.

The Spirit fills The Saints and the fruit of The Spirit reveals the character of Christ. The Saints are not the source of the fruit or The Light. They are "in Christ." This means, they are in His light, and they reflect His light. They do not produce their own.

Paul remembered The Saints with joy. It is interesting to note that he writes, "including the overseers and deacons." Much has been made in my own denomination about the qualities and expectations of those who hold these two offices, but not as much is said about The Saints.

Paul's primary focus of his joy was on those worthy of veneration. He started with The Saints. The contemporary church has placed a great deal of emphasis upon leadership development. For the most part this has been a commendable effort. Still, it may be a bit imbalanced. Paul's gratitude didn't begin with praise for overseers and deacons. He started with pool from which they must be drawn. Looking for saints? Don't fish where they ain't. But I digress.

The Saints and The Spirit are both described as holy. One of my earliest definitions of this word came from my friend and preaching professor, Dr. Jimmy Nelson. He described it as being set apart for a purpose, within the context of a message he delivered at Seminary Chapel.

Dr. Nelson had been a pastor in West Texas. It is home to solid churches, ranchers, cattle and wide open spaces. One day, he took part in a round up of calves, with one of his church members. It involved roping the calves, separating them from their mothers, and branding them with the owner's mark. After completing this process on one of the calves, the rancher turned to to Dr. Nelson and said, "Preacher, you can call that one a 'Holy Cow.'"

The rancher had been listening to what his preacher had said in church. The calf was set apart for a purpose, and marked with the owner's brand. It had been a terrifying, painful experience for the calf, and someday it would end in its death. It no longer lived for any other purpose, than the will of its owner. Holy cow, indeed.

Paul honored The Saints for being "in Christ." They were marked by His brand and His character. They shared the one word that set them apart from the world in which they lived. They were holy.

The Saint's Christ-likeness was inseparably linked to The Spirit's fulness. The character of Christ flowed from their lives. They were like diamonds thrown on a black, velvet backdrop. When The Light of Christ shown on them, they gleamed like dazzling stars in the night. The sight of them brought joy to Paul's soul. They were simply unforgettable. The Saints always are.

Prayer transforms The Ain'ts into The Saints. Prayerless people may seek an office, hold a position of authority, and even make a name for themselves. Prayerful people are holy people who know they are branded for some other purpose than their own, and live to honor the name of their Master.

Prayer enables The Saints to hear the voice of The One who called them out of the night and into The Light. Prayer is the means by which they are guided by God's direction, protection and correction. Holy people are not perfected, in the sense that they are flawless. They are holy because they are separated. They are "in Christ" by praying for the forgiveness of their sin, not their willful ignorance of it. The Saints run to The Light and TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Offering

"I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now." Philippians 1:3-5

"Prayer is the intimate communication between the Heavenly Father, and His child." Don Miller

My father's definition has served me well, and I have never found a better one. Still, defining prayer is no substitute for doing it. Dad didn't stop at the definition, he made the application. Big difference.

Defining prayer until the meaning is sliced and diced as fine as frog's hair closely resembles dissecting a frog. All the parts are there, but there is no life to it. Deceased, lab-worked frogs can be made to jump, by shooting bolts of electricity through them, but they never come back to life.

Dissection never leads to a resurrection. For prayer to come alive, there must be new life breathed into it. Kissing a dead frog won't turn it into a living prince. Falling in love with the idea of prayer, without breathing new life into one's praying leaves prayer on the lab table. It is meant for so much more.

For prayer to come alive, it should not only be studied in the lab, or the library, but breathed on the battlefields and during the crises of life. Effective prayer is not about practiced elocution, or posturing eloquence. It is about the profound exasperation of the warrior in the middle of desperate circumstances, and in the face of a relentless enemy.

Offering up prayer is ALWAYS appropriate. Prayer is not only well-suited for saying grace over a meal, putting a child's fears to rest before bed, or praying prior to a football game. It is not merely reserved for use as invocations or benedictions inserted into calm, predictable, well-ordered worship services. Prayer can bring great comfort to those in need of physical healing. It can also salve the emotional wounds to the soul and spirit that come along the way.

In Paul's case, prayer was a call of remembrance to God, on behalf of a loved one or those who had invested their lives in spiritual warfare, and the battle against evil. It can also be an intense cry for help in the middle of a fire fight, when surrounded by the enemy, and there appears to be no way out.

Paul had a great love and appreciation for those who didn't desert him, but stood by him, when it appeared there was nothing for them to gain from it. His perspective on who his friends really were had probably changed over the years. He had lost a few, but those who remained were worth remembering.

Prayer for Paul was not so much a trip down memory lane, but an appreciation for those who stood with him in the present tense. Prayer is always an appropriate way to remember those who are with us...NOW!

"In view of your participation of the gospel, from the first day until now." v. 5

"Lone Survivor" is the most recent box office smash of 2014. One Hollywood critic is coming under fire for her, dare I say it, "criticism." All together now. Shock face! Sitting with all her friends in the relative safety of the Left Coast, she could see through the fog of war. From her relative safety, she offered her perspective with critical eye, and a discerning ear to the dialogue, during the film's portrayal of the firefight. Apparently, it was not Shakespearean eloquence. It was just one one word bursts, only seconds long, and it involved some cussing. She will live to regret her criticism. Hollywood loves to cuss. But I digress.

Prayers overheard by non-combatants, during a prayer warrior's terrifying fire-fights of life with a relentless enemy, must sound desperate, indeed. Prayer warriors can thank God that The Spirit interprets their prayers, and The Son intercedes for them by name, at the right hand of The Father.

Sometimes a one word burst of prayer can be the most profound statement of faith. One faith-breathed prayer can launch an invasion of Heaven to earth. Any father knows this is true, if he has ever heard his child call out one word, in the middle of the night, "Daddy!" Remember, The Father is always listening. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Joy

"I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:3-6

Paul wrote what are now referred to as The Prison Epistles, during his imprisonment in Rome. They include Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon. The first chapter of Philippians flows from personal greetings, to genuine thanksgiving, and into intercessory prayer. They reveal much about the man, his mission, and his Master.

Joy saturates Paul's letter to the Church at Philippi. Sixteen times Paul makes reference to some form of joy or rejoicing. It is easy to forget that he was an imprisoned man, facing criminal charges, and the real possibility of death at the hands of the Roman authorities.

Verses three through six of the first chapter are some of the first verses I committed to memory, while a student at Baylor University. Separated from my family, and friends in New York, by 1,200 miles I could identify with Paul's emotion, as he recalled those he loved.

In the middle of any crisis, the attitude adjustment is the most important adjustment to be made. Paul initiates his remarks by expressing the attitude of gratitude. He may have been walked upon by his Jewish brethren, and pushed around by Roman authorities, but he refused to see himself as a door mat. His letter to the Church at Philippi is more like a Welcome Mat to the joy of the Christian life.

The older I get, the longer it takes for me to get up, when I fall down. Consequently, if I drop something on the floor, I don't immediately pick it up. I make a swift evaluation, and determine if the trip down to my knees to pick it up is worth the effort. If I fall, I look around, before I get up, to see if there is anything else I need to pick up while I am down on the floor. Never let a crisis go to waste. Can I get a witness?

Watching a child make their way through the day is very revealing, and exhausting. If they get knocked down, they bounce right back up. If a grown man fell as many times during the day, as a two year old, he would end the day in ICU. But I digress.

The challenge for the believer is to remain Christ-centered and child-like, and to avoid becoming self-centered and childish. When Paul faced a crisis beyond his control, rather than choosing resentment over the inconvenience, he chose joy.

The attitude of gratitude is a learned behavior. Little children are not born grateful. They must be taught to say thank you. When they come into the world, it all revolves around them. This stops being cute, at a very early age.

When our first child came into our lives, Dana and I were never thanked for the loss of sleep, or any inconvenience that was forced upon us for changing a diaper, providing a meal, or covering our child with clothing. It is breath-taking how ungrateful a newborn can be. It becomes life-draining by the time a child is a teenager.

As our child grew older, we insisted she learn to say, "Thank you!" She resisted. There is something very childish about being ungrateful, and something very child-like about becoming grateful for what one receives. Guess which one is more Christ-like.

"Please" and "Thank You" are not magic words, but they need to become mastered words, by those who claim the be children of God. Paul learned to thank God, regardless of the crisis, the inconvenience, or the chains. He made no claim to being the master of disaster, but he refused to be the victim of it.

Joy is also a learned behavior. Yes, it is the fruit of The Spirit, but Christians who are squeezed by a crisis don't always spew out what is on the label. Squeeze a lemon, you get lemon juice. Squeeze a Christian, and you don't always get what is on the T-shirt.

"It is easy to act like an angel, as long as no one ruffles your feathers." Author Unknown

Joy is that over-riding sense of calm, and confidence in the middle of a crisis, based upon the seasoned conviction that The Father is reigning, The Son is interceding, and The Spirit is intervening to bring God's best out of what appears to be the enemy's worst. Joy is a matured perspective on life that is gained by praying one's way through a crisis, rather than talking one's way out of it. Talking prolongs the pain of the crisis. Praying releases joy in the crisis.

Paul was chained to a Roman guard for two years. There must have been a point in time when Paul looked at his chains, as a connection to God, rather than a separation from Him. The day Paul looked at his Roman guard as an inspiration from God, not an irritation from man is the day joy was released into his soul.

The result of Paul's attitude adjustment, transformed the crisis of being chained to a Roman soldier for two years, from an irritation to an illustration. What Paul was inspired to write about The Armor of God in Ephesians has inspired believers for over 2,000 years.

Prayer is the most essential quality of the Spirit-filled life and the world class weapon in the the arsenal of any believer engaged in spiritual warfare. Paul not only thanked God for his friends, he prayed for them. There is no greater joy in life than seeing friends finish the race well. There is no greater heart-ache in life than seeing dear friends fall along the way, detoured by the crises of life.

Note to self: The next time you fall down, don't take it personally. Pray for someone else while you're down there, and then help them up. Never waste a crisis. When you fall, stay on your knees long enough to thank God that He is already on the scene, putting the broken pieces together. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Salvation

"Be it known... that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it." Acts 28: 28 KJV

One of the great mysteries in life is how two people can be offered the same salvation, and yet, one person will receive it as a gift of God's grace, and another will reject it as an expression of complete nonsense or abject heresy. The Holy Spirit warned that not everyone who sees and hears The Truth will be healed from their spiritual blindness and deafness.

"Paul had spoken one parting word, 'The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, saying, 'GO TO THIS PEOPLE AND SAY, '"YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; AND YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT NOT PERCEIVE; FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES; OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM." '

Two thoughts come to mind, upon reading that statement.

"Familiarity breeds contempt." - Author unknown

"It is possible to become calloused handling the holy." Dr. Curtis Vaughan

When I asked my friend, and Greek professor, Dr. Curtis Vaughan, "How is it possible to know more about the Word of God than ever before, and still have a coldness in my heart towards The Truth of it?" He responded with the second statement listed above. He touched a nerve.

Note to self: Never confuse reading about God, studying about His Son, and talking about The Spirit's ministry to be a substitute for intimate conversation with God. The work of the ministry creates callouses on hands, and hearts, but the joy of the ministry is a result of callouses on your knees. Make sure your life and ministry are marked by both.

Paul longed for his Jewish brothers to get in on what God was doing in the world. Some did. Some didn't. Paul refused to give up on them, but he turned his attention to those who would heed The Gospel, not just those who were in need of it. Thanks, Paul.

My root system is clearly Gentile. From my mother's side of the family, Irish heritage flows freely from those who entered ports in New York City, and New Orleans. From my father's side, German Lutherans entered America at the port of Philadelphia. Religious persecution drove them to America. Another group of Dad's folks, Puritans, landed in Connecticut and then Long Island. There is not a Jew among them. Without The Gospel being shared with the Gentiles, God's grace would have never reached my ancestors.

This passage holds special meaning to me, and should be seen as the launching pad for the transformation of Western Civilization. Never despise the day of small things. What appears to be insignificant to the powers that be is often a seismic shift when driven by the power of God. Paul was not a dim candle, flickering in a prison cell. He was a major beacon of hope sending out a message of salvation. Looks can be deceiving.

Hearing The Gospel involves heeding it, not just needing it. Those who need it must heed it. Paul would have many hearers of The Word, while imprisoned for two years in Rome. They would not all obey what they heard.

Praying for the preachers of The Gospel is a huge part of the effectiveness of their message. Praying over the hearers of The Gospel to believe it and to receive it is no less crucial.

Blinded eyes, and deafened ears are not transformed by the eloquence of the preacher, but by the healing hand of The Spirit of God. Praying for a preacher to be a scalpel in the hand of The Great Physician prepares the messenger to be a clean and sharpened instrument in the hands of God.

Still, pray for the first sign of healing in the life of a hearer. This is not a request for more information, but the initial act of obedience to what they have already heard. Pray that hearers of The Word do not delay their obedience to it. Salvation is not a result of hearing or seeing the truth, but of obeying what is heard and seen.

"Delayed obedience is still disobedience." Henry Blackaby

"Prayer is the intimate communication between the Heavenly Father and His child." Don Miller

Pray for the next generation of believers to hear and see The Gospel and to respond to it with their obedience, not their resistance. Pray that their hearing and seeing of The Gospel would bring complete healing to their blinded eyes, and deafened ears. Pray for this new generation of believers to usher in the next Great Awakening. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!