The Finale

"Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord." Philippians 3:1

Famous last words are almost as important as a baby's first words. I recall my Dad preparing for the birth of our first born, Ashley. He told me, firmly, that he and Mom didn't want the baby being taught any pet names for them. He thought Grandfather and Grandmother would do. It seemed a bit peculiar, but I didn't say anything. After Ashley was born, and shortly before reaching that stage of repeating short phrases, I found Dad holding her up to his face and repeatedly urging her on with, "Can you say 'Pappaw?' " I said over his shoulder, "See if she can say, 'Grandfather.' " She ended up saying, "Pappaw." She still does. Shock face! True story. Go figure.

Paul's first encounter with The Risen Christ knocked him off his high horse, and brought him to his knees. He never got over Jesus, and never stopped rejoicing at the honor of being allowed to enter into His Presence.

Note to self: Neither should you.

Regardless of any current crisis or contentious person, Paul found joy in it, by walking with Jesus through it. Whatever brought him to Jesus was capable of bringing joy to him, because it brought him to the end of himself.

This is the essence of prayer. Prayer brings people to the end of themselves and to the beginning of God. For Paul, everything that had any real meaning in life began with Jesus. When he met Jesus on the Road to Damascus, a conversation began with Jesus that never ended until Paul took his final breath. Here is how it all began.

"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied." Acts 9: 5 The Book of Acts records the next words of Paul as the proclamation, "He is the Son of God." Acts 9:20

Prayer reminds the prayer warrior that the battle is not his, it is the Lord's. The victory has been won by The Champion, and it is shared with those who stand with Him. Prayer may begin in a spirit of desperation, but when the conversation focuses on The Champion and not the crisis, it always leads to celebration.

For Paul, The Finale was the victory of Jesus over death. Prayer leads to rejoicing because it leads to knowing Jesus. The Risen Christ still releases the power of His resurrection into the lives of those who call Him Lord, and proclaim Him as The Son of God.

Rejoice carries with it the concept of repetition. When a soldier is out of bullets, he reloads. When a prayer warrior experiences a loss of joy, he must rejoice.

Joy is the sense of well-being, that comes from the state of security that results from being in submission to or in compliance with the orders and the authority of The Champion. When out of joy, rejoice.

More than mere happiness or gladness, the word "rejoice" was used as a salutation at the beginning of a letter, a greeting at the meeting of a friend, or a salute given to a master. Prayer warriors pray and obey. When they rejoice, they salute The Champion. It is a sign of disrespect to panic in His Presence, and an act of rebellion to refuse to obey His orders.

No matter what the crisis or contention, let the conversation with The Champion commence. Prayer warriors aren't intimidated by the enemy. They follow the last order they were given. The Finale is the last word on the subject. "Rejoice in the Lord!" TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Offering

"Be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain or toil in vain, but even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice of service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all." Philippians 2:15-17

The children of God prove their family lineage with spiritual DNA. The are "blameless and innocent" in the middle of a "crooked and perverse" generation. They are to be steadfast stars or bright lights that shine the brightest when thrown across the darkest backdrop.

Paul was more than content to be poured out as a "drink offering upon the sacrifice." To be more accurate, he was overjoyed at the prospect of it, if those who followed his lead in the race, or were the fruit of his labor proved to be "above reproach."

The children of God will always have the "crooked and the perverse" looking for the worst about them, and attempting to smear their good name in the court of public opinion. The current culture is filled with talking heads on TV, and hateful authors on the blogosphere, spewing reproach and ridicule on the fundamental beliefs of faithful Christians.

Even in a nation that has long held to Religious Liberty as a sacred right of citizenship, there is no escape or exemption from the "crooked or the perverse" judgments that are made on the children of God. It is going to get worse.

Paul's challenge to the early church in the face of the reproach was to be found by Christ, "holding fast to the word of life." In contrast, the contemporary church is all to quick to let it go, in oder to be found standing on the right side of history. This is just another way of describing selling out, and shutting up. But I digress.

Paul was willing to be crushed, poured out, and completely consumed on the altar of sacrifice, but in the end he wanted his life to count for something. Knowing that those he had led and taught were not just surviving, but were life-givng brought great joy to him.

The drink offering poured out upon the altar of sacrifice was always wine, never water. Before there could be a pouring there was planting, fertilizing, cultivating, pruning, waiting, harvesting, and crushing.

Simply put, there is no wine without crushed fruit. Paul's own fruit of The Spirit was being exposed. The crises of his life crushed him and prepared him to be poured out. He was not a prized bottle of wine kept on a shelf, and safely stored and sipped on special occasions. He was being extravagantly poured out and consumed by fire. Big difference.

The drink offering was an expression of Paul's life, and ministry being poured out on the altar of sacrifice. The offering of the fruit of his labor, the children of God. His offering was deemed worthy to be mingled with the blood of the sacrifice.

Paul lived to see The Fruit of The Spirit produced in his own life, and in the lives of those who were his disciples. When everything he gave his life for seemed to be crushed, Paul refused to let it bring resentment in his life. He chose to rejoice in it. The crushing of his fruit produced the drink offering that he poured out to honor the sacrifice Jesus made to produce the fruit.

Paul transformed potential resentment into positive joy by offering the crushing of his life's work and mingling it with the blood of Jesus on the altar of sacrifice. Anything that brought him closer to Jesus was always worth the loss. Through prayer, Paul would turn the reproach of others, and the crushing crises of life into times of rejoicing.

Prayer takes the crushed fruit of our lives and turns the bitter experiences into a sweet offering when what is crushed is poured out and mingled with the blood of Jesus. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Proof

"Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain." Philippians 2:14-16

The Seven Last Words of The Church: "We never did it that way before."

The Seven Lost Words of The Church: "DO ALL THINGS WITHOUT GRUMBLING OR DISPUTING." Philippians 2:14

Everything that can go wrong in a church can be traced to the toxic ignorance of "The Lost" and the chronic repetition of "The Last" words of the church. In this case, "The first shall be last" is of little comfort.

Any parent who has ever told a child to carry out a simple assignment has observed the difference between what their child does and the way they do it. Taking out the garbage, or cleaning a room may be technically accomplished as an act of obedience, but the attitude with which it is done often reveals a heart of pure rebellion.

Paul prayed for the church day and night to have an attitude marked by the character of Christ, and a conduct that matched His character. What they did and the way they did it was to be the living proof that they were motivated by and a mirror of "The Way, The Truth and The Life." Jesus.

It is not enough for a Christian or a church to bear the name of Jesus on its stationery, sign or T-shirts. Everything they do in the name of Christ, must be done the way Jesus would do it. Unfortunately when the world squeezes a Christian, or attends one of their churches, they do not always get what is on the label.

When the "What Would Jesus Do" Bracelets were all the rage, a survey was conducted in Christian Bookstores of America to determine what was the one item most shoplifted from their shelves. It turned out to be, the "WWJD" bracelet. But I digress.

Long before reality TV made its mark in the broadcast world, there were soap operas. These artificial dramas were designed to perpetually stir up the emotions and interests of bored people. Many of them proved to be the longest running shows on TV. They are living proof that some things in life can be death-defying without being life-giving.

If a soap opera was produced based on the minutes of most church business meetings, it would not be called "The Bold and The Beautiful. " It is more likely and more accurately to be described as "The Grumble and The Rumble."

"Do all things without grumbling and disputing." This simple admonition has been replaced in most churches with, "You can't make this stuff up." It would be funny, if the truth was not so sad. Churches are closing their doors by the thousands every year. Stay tuned. There are more to come.

Grumbling is the soft, rumble of mild discontent that secretly takes place in the heart, before it comes out of the mouth. When it first emerges it can have a soothing, non-threatening sound, like that of cooing doves. This is a deceptive trick of the enemy. These sounds are not coming from doves, but dragons. Well-intentioned, they may well be, but they are murmuring matches searching for a contact point, and a good place to start a fire.

Disputing is the rumbling that begins when grumbling no longer satisfies the discontented heart. It actually is rooted in the Greek word that provides the English language with the concept of dialogue. Unfortunately, in most churches, when two opinions are expressed, three opinions emerge.

John's Gospel says, "In the beginning was The Word." This Word was The Logos. It is always dangerous for the voice of The Logos to be drowned out by the dialogue. When people lose their love for the first Word, they usually end up lusting for the last word. When they get their wish, there isn't much left to talk about.

"Do all things without grumbling and disputing." Philippians 2:14 - These seven lost words hold the key to the relationship a child of God has with The Father. They also impact every other relationship people have in their lives. People who are wrong with God aren't going to keep things right with others for very long.

"...always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ." Ephesians 5:20-21

Talking to someone, without praying with them, in the name of Jesus, about any issue of crucial or mutual importance only builds the grumbling and the rumbling. It has the same potential of two opposing weather fronts colliding with one another.

Talking without praying seeds the clouds of the discontented, and invites the possibility of turbulence. Twisted tongues can become tragic tornadoes that wreak havoc in the lives of families, friendship and church fellowships.

Constructive dialogue should never be entered into without a climate of prayer. Destructive dialogue always rushes to fill the void left behind by vanished prayer in the home and in the church.

Note to self: Prayer with your wife and with those you seek to lead will prove to you and to them what you really believe. All the rest is religious talk. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Work

Every January the airwaves explode with commercials hawking the benefits of joining a workout facility or signing up for a new weight loss program. This is as predictable as the credit card bills that arrive shortly after the lights are taken town, and the tree is put away.

Squeezed in between Christmas cookies, Super Bowl parties and Valentine's Day chocolates these commercials make their pitch to people desperate for the easy way to the "New You in The New Year." Signing a contract will not shed any pounds, and having food delivered to the door rarely ends well. Still you can set your clock by the timing of guilting people into making New Year's resolutions that don't require any real effort on their part. Signing up is not the same thing as working out and eating right. Big difference.

Comparing the quotes "Work out your salvation" with "Saved by grace" doesn't look like they could be said by the same person. Paul saw no conflict in them. Simply stated, the first one appears to require some sweat equity, and the second seems tailor made for contemporary Christian couch potatoes.

Paul attacked the enemy on two fronts with a double-edged weapon of warfare. He understood it to be the sword of The Spirit which is The Word of God.

On one front Paul exposed and defeated the strategy of the enemy to appeal to the pride of man, cheering people on to greater and greater efforts to win the approval of God. Paul reminded the early church that salvation was not a result of the works of man, but it was a free gift from God.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;" Ephesians 2:8

On the opposite side of the battlefield, Paul warned Christians of the danger of letting the enemy sing them to sleep with a lullaby. Christianity is not a mindless,thoughtless, effortless pursuit. It may be freely received, but it must be diligently protected and developed.

Note to self: When you asked Jesus into your heart, your brains didn't fall out, and your work ethic wasn't removed.

"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." Philippians 4:8

Two phrases seem to be blowing in different directions, but they are spoken with the same breath. "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling." (v. 12b)
appears to be at odds with the following statement.

"For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." (v. 13) These two Scriptures are not at odds with one another. They are complimentary to each other.

This cannot be over-stated. Any thought, desire, or sense of direction towards the purpose of God is a result of The work of The Spirit of Christ in the life of the believer. This is a genuine sign of the birthmark or the seal of The Spirit on the child of God.

Note to self: Working out of you, what God puts in you is the process of believing prayer being applied to intimidating circumstances and irritating people. Trying to talk your way through a crisis, or argue your way out of a conflict develops the muscle tissue of your flesh. Praying through a crisis and with others, not at them, will reveal the fruit of The Spirit.

Working out your salvation is not an effort to make oneself pleasing to God. It is the energy expended to put oneself in the position to experience the pleasure of God.

On hundred years ago, Billy Sunday's preaching was criticized for rubbing the fur of the cat the wrong way. Sunday replied, "Let the cat turn around." When there is no pleasure in hearing a fresh word from God, or any joy in being in His Presence there is a need for a turn around.

There is a powerful scene in the movie, "Chariots of Fire." It depicts a conversation between Missionary Eric Liddell and his sister. She was afraid his time invested in running was a danger to his calling. Liddell protested. "God made me fast, and when I run I feel His pleasure." Liddel found a way to work out his salvation. This work out is not the same for all. but it is necessary for all.

Praying puts a person in the position to lower their head, and to lean into the yoke relationship with Jesus Christ. Praying in the name of Jesus works out salvation, empowering a child of God to experience The Father's way, His will and His good pleasure. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Reason

"For this reason also, God highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2: 9-10

Distilling the redemption story down to one word is a challenge. Some would say, it is love. Others would suggest sacrifice. Based on my understanding of Paul's letter to the Church at Philippi, I would submit for your consideration the word "humility."

"He (Jesus) humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Philippians 2:8

Jesus did not grasp equality with God. He expressed humility before God. The result was a Son under authority, not a rebellious child striving to be in authority. The power of God is released to and through His children who are under His authority, not those who are looking for a title or a position of authority. Jesus made clear that the citizens of The Kingdom were humble children, not rebellious brats.

“Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:4

When a Roman Centurion sought the healing hand of Jesus upon his servant, he believed a word from jesus would be enough. He told Jesus there would be no need for Him to travel to his home. He had observed the life and ministry of Jesus, and wisely concluded, "I too am a man under authority." Jesus responded, "I have not seen this kind of faith in all of Israel. (See Luke 7:8 and following)

What the Roman observed and The Savior honored was the condition of power and authority. There is a huge difference between being under authority, and being in authority. Chasing titles and puffing up resumes makes a name. Being under authority makes a difference. Celebrity results from the former, humility produces the latter.

"He humbled Himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death." v.8

Humble do not elevate themselves. They lower themselves. Jesus cultivated an attitude of humility, by a life of prayer. It was through prayer that The Son of God yielded His way to the will of The Father. Jesus put to death any spirit of temptation for rebellion in his life, by humbling Himself before The Father in prayer.

Jesus prayed early in the morning, throughout the day, and late into the night, He prayed daily, moment by moment. He prayed aloud and in silence, alone and in crowds.

Prayer was the life breath of Jesus. Through prayer humility became the strength of His character, and obedience became the motivation of His life. Today His intercession for His followers is the key component for the health of His church.

When the pivotal moment of the story of redemption was being played out and prayed through in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus came to the point of "Not My will, but Thy will be done."

This humbling of His will to the Father's will marked a pivotal moment in time. The kneeling of Jesus, in humility, softened His heart to receive God's authority. The humble prayer of Jesus softened his heart until His will was yielded to God's will and His authority was stamped on the name of Jesus.

"so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW." v 10

Hardened hearts may gain celebrity status, but they will never be marked by God's authority. Titles and positions may gain a person notoriety, but God's power is released through people of prayer and humility.

It is worth remembering that the kneeling Jesus preceded the exalted Jesus. Any follower of Jesus that chooses to by-pass this pattern and priority may make a name for themselves, but they will miss out on the purpose of life.

Prayerless people are tempted to use the name of Jesus to bring glory to themselves. They may pray in the name of Jesus and say, "Give God the glory." They also say, "Make out the check in my name."

Prayerful people humble themselves, thinking of themselves less, and making more of Jesus. They pray in His name, not to elevate themselves or their prayer life, but "to the glory of God the Father." TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Obedient

"He (Jesus) existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men." Philippians 2: 6-7

When I was in college I was introduced to a book, "The Company of the Committed." It was a text for one of my religion courses at Baylor University. The title intrigued me, and the contents challenged me, but as I grow older, I am less impressed with the concept contained in the title. Let me explain.

Pastor Joseph Tson, a religious liberty refugee from Romania, was exiled from his country in the late 1980's and given asylum in the United States of America. This must have felt like getting kicked to the curb and being picked up by a Cadillac. But I digress.

I was privileged to hear Pastor Tson deliver a message, to a gathering of Texas Baptists, entitled, "The Theology of Martyrdom." He provided stinging and amazing insights into the erosion of truth that results by the dumbing down of the essence of Christianity. It doesn't happen over night, but eventually what is left is a barren landscape filled with busy people and empty churches.

Pastor Tson said that he only had books in his library that were published prior to the Communist takeover. When he arrived in the United States he was confused by a term he discovered in more recent publications of Christian literature. He was unfamiliar with the use of the word commitment, to describe a believers' expression of their faith in Christ.

Pastor Tson went on to explain the difference between "Commitment" and "Surrender" to a room full of busy Baptists. Most of the books in his library, published before 1917, used the word "surrender" to describe how a person entered into a relationship with God through the Person of Jesus Christ. There was a time when a person was not called upon to make a commitment to Christ, but to enter into this relationship with "Absolute Surrender."

Note to self: Jesus "emptied Himself, taking on the form of a bond-servant, and being made int he likeness of men." (v. 7) When you do less, it results in being full of yourself without being filled with The Spirit of The Risen Christ. Stop it.

There is no fullness of Christ without emptying of self. Jesus, The Son emptied Himself, or surrendered Himself to the Lordship of God, The Father. The prayer life of Jesus revolved around emptying Himself of His will, and filling Himself with God's will.

Kneeling in prayer before God is never complete until there is a surrendering of one's will to God. Prayer invokes the Christian "non-compete" clause.

A non compete clause is a contract between an employee and an employer. The employee agrees not to enter into competition with the employer. Too many Christians want what God has without surrendering themselves to Him. Prayer puts the spirit of competition to death, and brings the power of the resurrection to life.

Prayer is not complete until it leads to "non-compete." Jesus "did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped." (v.6)

Prayerless people become grasping rebels who are not surrendered servants. The prayerless often commit themselves to renewed efforts to make a name for themselves, but never empty themselves. Making a name is never a substitute for making a difference.

Jesus "humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross." (v.8)

The Obedient empty themselves and surrender their will to Sovereign God. Jesus set this pattern of surrender, and servanthood by maintaining consistent companionship with God through prayer. His followers should be marked by His passion for prayer. The prayerless may be committed to their plans, but they will not be surrendered to God's will.

Prayerless people are prideful people. Prideful people can be led to make a renewed commitment in the face of a temporary setback. They are rarely willing to admit complete defeat, and make an absolute surrender.

People who are full of themselves need to be emptied before they can be filled. Jesus emptied Himself. His followers should follow His lead.

Jesus was obedient to the point of death. Through prayer, the followers of Jesus "die to self" by an absolute surrender of their way and their will to God's way and His will for their lives. The Obedient will...TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Hour

"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5

The Attitude of Jesus is a life-changer for a believer and it is a game changer for any church desiring to be marked by...

1. Encouragement
2. Consolation
3. Fellowship
4. Affection
5. Compassion
6. Single-minded
7. Love
8. Unity
9. Purpose
10. Unselfish
11. Humility
12. Deference

Pray one hour each day for an adjustment of your attitude to the way and the will of God. Praying and waiting on God, for nothing less than the character of Christ to be revealed in you and in the life of your church, is much needed today.

Praying five minutes for each of these twelve traits will leave a mark on your life, your family and your church. The Hour will be a daily reminder of The Attitude of Jesus, and it will transform your praying from childish preference to child-like deference.

Pray for...

ENCOURAGEMENT: The infusion of courage into faithful hearts until they beat in synch with the pace, and the pulse and the passion of Jesus that flows from intimate communication with The Father.

CONSOLATION: The capacity to allow God's grace to flow from one life to another to bring healing words, the ministry of presence, and wise counsel to hurting people.

FELLOWSHIP: The bond and esprit de corps that draws people into a body of believers mobilized to move as one unit, for one purpose, and feel the pain of failure, and the joy of victory in the life of every member.

AFFECTION: The feeling and emotion that turns love for God from a mere act of obedience or a form of discipline into a heart-warming relationship with Jesus and those who follow Him.

COMPASSION: The practical application of affection that moves beyond pious platitudes and temporary pity to meet the needs of hurting people.

SINGLE-MINDED:The body of believer to be focused on the mind of Christ Whose only thought and purpose is to do the will of The Father.

LOVE:The unconquerable benevolence and undefeatable goodwill, no longer reserved for the lovely and the loving, to be exhibited abundantly towards undeserving people in irritating circumstances.

UNITY:The synergy of body life that enables the church to coordinate the movements and the giftedness of the greatest member with the slightest member of the body.

PURPOSE:The mission statement of the church to be embraced by every member of the body - "Make Disciples."

UNSELFISH: The maturity to live to give, and the generosity of every believers to be unleashed on the needs of other, and not their own wants and desires.

HUMILITY: The brokenness to know the difference between thinking less of oneself, and thinking of oneself less. Prayerless people are prideful people who cannot say, "Not my will, but Thy will be done." Prayerful people are humble people who yield to God's will, and His way.

DEFERENCE: The resistance to a passion to protect one's own rights and personal preferences, and a willingness to seek God's grace to defer to the rights of another.

The next Great Awakening will be marked by members and churches that have the handprints of The Spirit of God all over them, and The Attitude of Jesus within them. Pray for both. Accept nothing less. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Attitude

"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5

The industry standard for an "Attitude Adjustment" in the early church was to realign a member of the church with the character of The Founder of the Church. This beats a Church Covenant nine ways from Dallas, any day of the week, and twice on Sunday.

In other words, never lower the membership bar below the character of The Person of Jesus Christ. A church should strive to be the church Jesus would join if He moved into their town.

The Fruit of The Spirit turns a church into a Farmer's Market with an attractive aroma. The Spirit keeps Christ's church from becoming a machine shop turning out cheap replicas of the real deal. Filling the air with the odor of the sweat of the flesh and the sound of man-made machines may give an appearance of busyness, but a closer look reveals only barrenness.

The Attitude of Jesus is a life-changer for a believer and it is a game change for any church desiring to be marked by...

1. Encouragement
2. Consolation
3. Fellowship
4. Affection
5. Compassion
6. Single-minded
7. Love
8. Unity
9. Purpose
10. Unselfish
11. Humility
12. Deference

This is a short check list, but it serves as a biblical, working model for anyone interested in giving themselves a Spiritual Check Up. Comparing our character to anyone other than Jesus is a fool's errand. It is like a terminal patient comparing his death spiral to the patient in the bed next to him.

Note to self: Comforting yourself with the thought that you have a few more days left than the corpse next to you is neither death-defying or life-giving. Get over yourself, and pray to Jesus. Only He defies death and gives life.

Time and space will not allow a thorough analysis of all these character traits at this time. Grasping the first one is a great start at receiving The Attitude of Jesus.

Encouragement is the first whiff that most people get of a believer's life. It is also the first thing seekers see in the show windows of a local church. The problem emerges when seekers find a church has more in their show windows than they do on their shelves.

There is nothing quite like encountering the reality of the mine-field of attending a church, after having strolled through the fantasy land of their web-site. Things are not always what they appear to be, and truth in advertising is not a hallmark of church promotional campaigns.

Encouragement is the work of The Spirit of Christ, but most believers gather at churches that value the gift of discouragement. Their mission statement is formed by the seven last words of the church: "We never did it that way before."

Encouragement is more than a word of comfort given to shore up a person's morale through a difficult time. It is a blood transfusion for courageous living pumped into the lives of fearful people, transforming them into faithful people.

Encouragement should be the heart beat of every believer that claims to have Jesus living in their heart. A church that loses heart will not stand for what is right, and will run in the face of what is wrong. Without encouragement to stand, it is a safe bet that people will run. A church that is void of encouragement will lose its standing in a community, a country, and a culture EVERY TIME.

"We must not be content to be cleansed, but to be filled with The Spirit. The word Comforter as applied to the Holy Spirit needs to be translated by some vigorous term. Literally it means 'with strength.' Jesus promised his followers 'The Strengthener' would be with them. No lullaby for the faint-hearted. It is a blood transfusion for courageous living."
E.P. Hovey

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Grant

"For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me." Philippians 1: 29-30

I recall the first time I received a grant for my college education. It was a huge source of financial help, and arrived at a crucial time in my studies. When I discovered I didn't have to pay it back, if I kept my grades up, I was over-joyed. It was an amazing source of encouragement, and allowed me to finish my under-graduate work at Baylor University.

The Grant that is mentioned in Paul's letter to the Church at Philippi is no less crucial to the spiritual life of a believer, but suffering rarely proves to be a joyful experience when it first arrives. Still, if the prayer warrior will allow Jesus to make sense out of what they are undergoing, then it will enrich their lives and their love for their Savior like nothing else can.

In the early days of the fall of Communism, Romania was one the last strongholds to crumble under the weight of freedom loving people. I remember hearing Joseph Tson, a refugee Romanian pastor, preach on "The Theology of Martyrdom." Pastor Tson had experienced the fear of persecution and on more than one occasion he had to look into its ugly face. Always arrested in the middle of the night, he would be taken to the intimidating headquarters of the secret police, for brutal interrogation.  His persecutors threatened him with death so many times that he finally demanded it be done. They were shocked and sputtered, "We aren't going to kill you. That is what you want. We don't want to make you into a martyr for your cause."  Then they exiled him. He had won the battle over the fear of death, and his enemy. He lived to see Romanian Christians freed to worship  God in the city squares, as well as in their own churches.

Paul invited his first century followers to embrace suffering as an opportunity to identify with Christ and with him. His challenge is closely related to the persecuted pastor's experience almost 2,000 years later. Some things never change because they are right the first time.

The Grant: "not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake," v. 29

Easy believism and suffering saints are incompatible expressions of genuine Christianity. Today the 21st Century church is in love with the former, and uncomfortable with the latter. Suffering is hard to explain to people who want to hear how they can gain God's best with the least amount of pain.  

"To believe" is a verb form of faith. Many people talk about faith as if it was an entity. Faith is more about energy. Faith is the trust, and confidence placed in someone, something, or some belief. It is more than knowledge. It is an investment of ones' mind, body and soul in an enterprise or action. A person may know the dimensions and the purpose of a chair, but until a person surrenders their standing position to a sitting position on the chair, there is no faith being exercised in it, and no rest received from it.

"To suffer" means in a literal sense to have a sensible experience. It may feel like a good or bad one, and actually be either one. It is something that believers will undergo, and it is a necessary part of the spiritual development of a follower of Jesus Christ.

The maturing process to get the right perspective on suffering takes time. When suffering arrives it feels more like being under the thumb of the enemy than being guided by the hand of God.

God wraps some of His greatest gifts in the scariest packaging. What doesn't make sense is not always a source of joy. It takes the Person of Jesus Christ to make sense out of suffering. No one can do it better. Take it to Him in prayer.

Note to self: Talking to people who have no sense of the purpose of suffering is not likely to make sense out it when suffering comes your way. Pray and remember Jesus knows all about it, and has already been through it.
 
“Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” Luke  24:26

The Grant to believe and to suffer is a two-sided coin forged in the furnace of faith, but stamped with the image of Jesus on each side. One side depicts The Crucified Savior. The other side depicts The Risen Christ. Every believer's life should be marked by the hope that comes from an intimate association with both. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Conduct

"Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents - which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God." Philippians 1:27-28

There were once codes of conduct taught to children at home. These codes were reinforced by the community at church, school and other civic events. They included simple rules for daily living that made it possible for children raised at home to be mainstreamed into a society that had certain expectations.

Unfortunately, Common Sense has been hijacked by Common Core. Let me suggest a return to the former and a rejection of the latter. I recall a few of the things that we once had in common, and made the TOP TEN LIST at my house.

1. Always say, " Please" and "Thank you."
2. Don't hit girls. EVER.
3. Don't talk back to your teachers.
4. Get a spanking at school, you get another one at home.
5. Ladies first, always.
6. Hold the door for a lady.
7. Take your hat off when you enter a building.
8. Rise when a lady enters a room.
9. Say, "Yes Ma'am and "Yes Sir."
10. Say, "May I? Not "Can I?"

This last one would have saved a great deal of trouble for a nation, if the proper response had been remembered. "YES, WE CAN!" should have been met by a resounding, "BUT, you MAY not!" But, I digress.

It should come as no surprise that The Spirit of Christ expects the church founded by The Lord Jesus Christ to have certain manners. These manners are worthy of the Gospel, and mark someone who is a member of the family of God. They include...

1. Stand Firm.
2. One Spirit & Mind.
3. Striving Together For the Faith.
4. Not alarmed by the Opposition.

The Counduct of the early church can be compared to the four corners of a building under construction. If the cornerstones are set correctly, much can be built upon them. If these crucial corners are absent or askew then the building will lack integrity.

Paul prayed for the conduct of the church to be worthy of The Gospel and marked by...

Stability: The early church didn't just stand up, in the face of opposition. They stood firm, upon The Rock of their Salvation. There were no misty sentimentalists in the pulpit or faithless fog bank hanging over the members.

Unity: The mind of Christ and the fulness of The Spirit held the early church together. They were not unified by having the same preference, but the same deference. They deferred to Christ and to one another.

Teamwork: The desire to do well drives a person to make a name for themselves. The desire to serve together with others for a common cause will make a difference. There is no limit to what the local church can do if no one cares about getting the credit, but everyone wants to give God the glory.

Note to self: Failure and victory are both a team effort.

Fearlessness: The early church was marked by a fear of God, more than a fear of man. Though they must have felt fear at one time or another, the members of the early church were not crippled by it. It made them stronger. They took their fear to God in prayer and received from The Spirit of The Risen Christ the courage to face the opposition, come what may.

Praying for the next Great Awakening? It won't come from the White House, or the Church House. It will come from Your House. Set the cornerstones for it. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!