The Heart

“I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel; but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will.” Philemon 1:12-14

“Sending my very heart” indicates that Paul had a heart for prayer and a heart for doing what was right. When church leaders want to get their way, they are tempted to bring the heat to remove the obstacle in their path.

When Paul expressed his desire to get what he wanted, he gave away his heart. Bringing the heat from exerting personal effort and exercising the art of gentle persuasion may bring a good idea into reality, but miss God’s idea in the long run.

Paul set the example of a man who didn’t need to lead with his need to get what he wanted. His life was marked, by giving his heart away, not getting his way. He didn’t lead by compulsion, but by intercession.

Compulsion operates on “My Will.” Intercession has a heart for “Thy Will.” The process of intercession conforms “Free Will” to Thy Will.” Prayer is an investment of one’s time and one’s heart into a heart transplant in the life of another person. The Spirit’s surgery cannot be rushed, but it can be ushered in by intercession.

Paul refused to rationalize his need and use it as leverage over another person to get what he wanted. He was aged, imprisoned, and in need of comfort. Onesimus offered to him relief of his need, but Paul saw a danger in it.

If the service given to Paul by Onesiumus appeared to be theft on his part, in the eyes of Philiemon, it could cause a breech between two brothers, and disrupt the fellowship of the local church. An escaped slave was no small matter. The escape of Onesimus caused a loss of face for Philemon in the community, and constituted a substantial loss to him financially.

Rather than command Philemon to get on board with what God had done in the heart of Onesismus, Paul prayed for the master to have a change of heart towards his slave and receive him, as his new brother in Christ.

Praying begins by yielding one’s will to The Father’s will. This is how Jesus prayed. After hearing Jesus pray, His disciples said, “Teach us to pray.” Jesus began with two words, “Our Father.” All believing prayer begins by a child placing compete trust in a loving Father to do what is right for them. Prayer is not about getting what the child want. Prayer is all about the child getting on board with The Father’s will.

Again, Jesus modeled the purpose of prayer. He prayed until His will was conformed to His Father’s will. When Jesus prayed, He gave His heart away to God, and received The Father’s heart as His own. The heart of prayer is the matter of the heart. Jesus prayed, “Not My will, but Thy will be done.” The purpose of prayer is for the Father to implant His heart into His children. Prayerless children are heartless indeed.

To know The Father’s will is one thing. To receive The Father’s will is quite another thing. Praying softens the heart and opens the hands of the prayer warrior to receive The Father’s will.

Intercession is the process by which a prayer warrior calls on The Spirit of Christ to develop the mind of Christ in the heart of another person. Paul prayed for Philemon, not because Paul needed a devotional exercise, but because Philemon needed a heart transplant only The Father could give.

Leaders without followers are not marching at the head of an army. They are only taking a walk by themselves. Shouting out orders to people who have no heart to follow will never launch a movement of God. Praying for potential followers to receive a new heart for The Father prepares the church to receive the next Great Awakening. Unless hearts are prepared to receive the change The Father is capable of bringing into a person’s life, new believers will be stiff armed in the parking lot, before they ever get to the pews. Prayer prepares the heart and improves the vision of the local church to have new hearts and open arms.

My wife and I assist our local church by serving on the front lines. I put out the Welcome Mat in the parking lot, meeting and greeting people as they arrive. She serves at the Welcome Desk in the entrance of the church, seating guests in the Worship Center.

Most churches would be well served to give some fresh attention to the way they meet, seat and greet guests. Like fresh paint, hospitality covers a great deal of sin. Effective hospitality begins by showing up before guests arrive, and involves meeting, greeting and seating them before there is any hope at connecting with them. Ninety percent of success in connecting people to a local church hinges on the first ten minutes they spend on the parking lot. But I digress.

Philemon was being asked by Paul to see the change The Father had made in Onesimus. He was no longer a slave, but a saint. He was Paul’s child, and Philemon’s brother. Paul interceded for Philemon to have a change of heart towards a man that had wronged him. Prayer softens a hurting heart to receive healing, and prayer gives courage to risk being hurt again.

A great deal was at stake in the life of Onesimus and the local church. The Father is grieved when His children do not value what He has done in giving a person new life in Christ and adopting them into His family.

Onesimus was a real slave, but his life also serves as a poster child for what happens when The Father unleashes a Great Awakening. Relationships get cleaned up with The Father and get real messy with His children, all at the same time.

A hardened heart only leads to a stiffened arm. A softened heart leads to open arms. This only happens when The Father’s children pray for one another to love one another, to forgive one another, and welcome one another with open arms. When they pray for one another His children send each other His heart. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The R.E.S.T.

“For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother. Therefore, though I have confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper, yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you – since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and also a prisoner of Christ Jesus.“ Philemon 1: 7-9

Paul’s prison epistle to Philemon is filled with beautiful word pictures that serve as a glimpse into a time capsule of the early church.  Paul received “joy” and “comfort” and the saints were “refreshed” as a result of Philemon’s investment in their lives by hosting a local church in his home. He gave the members of the early church more than the use of his home. He gave them his heart.

One of the temptations facing the contemporary church is the lure to follow the lure of the current culture and exchange priceless joy for cheap entertainment.  Laughing at someone else’s expense, giggling at a child’s use of foul language, convulsing over a comedian’s bathroom humor are all poor substitutes for Christian joy.

Joy is not a matter of temporary happiness gained by connecting a perfect chain of events or waiting breathlessly for the perpetual punch-line. Joy is an over-riding confidence in the heart of a child of God, who has learned to trust The Father to guide them through the stalls and the storms of life. Some things take time.

“Paul, the aged” had learned his lessons well. If prison was a test, he was not going to stay after school, or skip the final exam.  His joy was not in recess, but in rest.

Paul led an escaped slave, Onesimus, to saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and sent him back home to make things right with his master, Philemon. For social justice advocates, the little book of Philemon is always a troubling piece of Scripture.

The simple truth is this. Dead men have no rights. Long before there was an American Christianity that elevated Religious Liberty to unknown heights, there was a Biblical mandate for believers to make things right with those they had wronged. Onesimus had to have struggled with his decision. Doing the right thing is never easy, and personal rights always die a hard death. Onesimus died to himself, and his will and went back home.

Perhaps the freedom Paul discovered in his own imprisonment encouraged Onesimus to obey Paul’s counsel to return home to slavery. If Onesimus had not done so, Paul’s letter to Philemon would not be in our hands today. Obedience has consequences. Disobedience does too. Thanks, Onesimus, for praying and obeying. May your tribe increase.

My friend, Michael Catt, has been led to develop a ministry with a message of personal revival to pastors and people all over America. He has called these gatherings, “ReFresh.” I thought of him and Sherwood Baptist Church of Albany, Georgia when I read, “The hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.”  Thanks, Michael!

“The saints have been refreshed through you” is a great life message. This statement reveals the impact of Philemon’s life on the early church. It should be the personal passion of every preacher standing in the pulpit delivering a message to the people in the pews.  PREACH IT!

“Refreshed” means to give a person the opportunity to cease from labor in order to recover, to collect strength, or to catch their breath. It carries the concept to take a rest, to take ease or give rest. It is the same word used to describe the way of life Jesus had in mind for His disciples, when He said,

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

The paradox of Christianity includes the unique relationship between spiritual freedom and the slavery of the yoke. Those who yield to Jesus as their Savior, also receive Jesus as their Lord. These two concepts are inseparable to salvation.

Note to self: EMBRACE BOTH!

Walking with Jesus is not a free exchange of ideas between two people holding independent lecture series. It is a life of obedience and submission to the will of The Master. Anything less is rebellion, and a spirit of independence will never lead to dependence on Jesus.  Refreshing rest is found in His Presence.

Prayer is the pause that refreshes. It is the real thing, and the only thing that keeps a believer walking in a synergistic relationship with The Captain of The Yoke. Many come to Jesus for the rest that is found in the initial forgiveness of sin, but they fail to continue yielding to His will for the rest of their lives.  

Restless Christians are prayerless people who proudly gather no moss. Sadly, they never bear fruit.  Sound familiar? “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” The Lord, Jesus Christ

Philemon discovered a way to refresh the saints of the early church. Michael Catt is calling the contemporary church to rediscover prayer as the missing ingredient in finding this kind of rest. The message of ReFresh is a call to prayer for the next Great Awakening. Join him in it, and let it begin in you.

Rest is only a prayer away on a personal and a corporate level. Those who pray will find they are refreshed when they R.E.S.T. and Release Every Single Thing to Jesus.  TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Appeal

“Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper, yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you – since I am as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus – I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment,” Philemon 1:8-10

A demand hardens the will, but an appeal softens the heart. No doubt, the church is the army of God, and led by The Champion, Jesus.  Those who receive His marching orders will follow His lead wherever it takes them.

Those called to mobilize the church must do so by appealing to them, without barking orders at them. Paul placed the highest priority on appealing to God and leading Christian brothers to pray for one another, and for those who are in authority. For a an appeal to soften the heart, and not harden it,  The Appeal must begin as a prayer to God, before it is put before a brother.

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;”  I Timothy 2:1 KJV

Paul used an unusual word to express, “I rather appeal to you.” Six times this word is translated as pray or prayer, and it directly related to the word that at times is transliterated into English as “paraclete.” It describes the work of The Spirit of Christ as the one who is called alongside, and comes alongside of a person in distress to bring comfort and strength for courageous living.

Paul resisted the temptation to exercise his authority over Philemon.  He didn’t get in his face, but appealed to his heart. This glimpse into the early church reveals Paul understood that there were times when the fellowship of believers functioned best as a family. Wise leaders can discern when it is time to go to war, and when it is time to throw a family reunion.

Paul had no fear of stepping up to the plate when it was time to lead. He also had enough confidence in Christ to lean into The Yoke and to trust Him to do the heavy lifting in changing a person’s heart.

The Appeal begins with a prayer to God, in the name of Jesus and releases the power of The Spirit to soften the heart of a person who needs to be reconciled with his brother. Philemon was in need of a blood transfusion for courageous living that had no cultural expression or legal precedent.

Paul was not a afraid to be the lead off hitter, but also knew that fearlessness and prayerlessness become a toxic tonic when mixed together, and injected into the Body of Christ. He was humble enough to dial it down a notch in his exercise of his authority, and appeal to The Spirit of Christ to change the heart of Philemon towards Onesimus.

Paul was gifted by God with power and authority that over-road and outranked Philemon’s status at almost every level except one. Philemon was his brother, and that precious relationship put Paul’s will on pause. He refused to make demands of his brother, but prayed for him and appealed to him as one.

Paul and Philemon shared the same spiritual DNA. Christ’s love had created their relationship, and that same love had birthed new life in Onesimus. Paul prayed for Christ to reveal to Philemon the new relationship he shared with Onesimus. They were no longer master and slave. They were brothers in Christ.

The Appeal was not a demand for Philemon to show love to Onesimus. It began as a prayer of intercession for Philemon to hear from God before he received communication from Paul.

The Appeal was a call for a work of God to soften the heart of Philemon. He exhorted Philemon to resist the urge to react to Onesimus as a wronged man, but to respond to him as a changed man. Every work of God’s grace is an answer to prayer.

Intercession involves praying for people to respond with softened hearts, when they have been wronged. Praying begins by yielding to God’s will, and resisting the urge to react with hardened hearts to those who have brought the offense.

Note to self: Talking to people without praying for them rarely improves your communication with them.  If you want them to hear from God before they hear from you then pray for them before you talk to them. Intercession softens their hearts. Even the slightest observation sounds like an accusation when it has not been bathed in prayer.

Preparation for the right words to say to people is secondary to intercession done for them. Talking is a waste of breath and misses divine appointments. Precede any communication with intercession. The Appeal begins with intercession and leads to reconciliation. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Mention

“I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints; and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake. For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.” Philemon 1:4-7

Paul, assisted by Timothy, wrote a brief, personal letter to Philemon “our beloved brother and fellow worker.” Over the years, this brief epistle has been a source of conflict and confusion. The subject of the letter has to do with the return of an escaped slave, Onesimus, to his rightful owner, Philemon. From a human perspective it appears that Paul is perpetuating an injustice, not making it right. Short as it is, Philemon has never been an easy read.

The Roman world was filled with slaves, and as far as Roman Law was concerned, a born-again slave was no different from one who had never heard The Gospel. The rights of Philemon’s ownership were not invalidated by the invasion of The Spirit into the life of Onesimus. Under Roman Law an escaped slave was a fugitive from justice, not a victim of injustice.  

After Paul led Onesimus to a saving knowledge of Jesus, he encouraged him to go home and make things right with his master, Philemon. Though Onesimus was still a slave, in the eyes of the law, he was also Paul’s brother, in the eyes of God. Paul leveraged the brotherly love that existed between himself and Philemon, to prepare the master’s heart to put out the welcome mat for his slave, not the whipping post.

In a world of electronic mail, instant messaging, Facebook posts, and tortuously slow snail mail, contemporary culture may be in the death throes of genuine communication. Thel current phenomenon of two friends walking down the street with their eyes glued to their Smart-Phones make them look like fools. A restaurant table filled with patrons posting pics of their food while ignoring the people around them reveals a cultural wasteland, not an image of improved communication. But I digress.

Paul reminded Philemon, “I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers,” Paul had no access to E-Mail, but he made abundant use of KNEE-Mail. Communication without intercession is man’s idea, not God’s idea. To be clear, it is never a good idea. Before you hit SEND, take a KNEE.

Sharing a prayerless piece of one’s mind is not improved by speed. The faster a slap in the face remark is sent doesn’t soften the blow. It only hardens the heart of the one who receives it. Hitting “Delete” before “Send” is a huge improvement over prayerless communication.

Note to self: Just because you have an opinion doesn’t mean you have to express it. Reading and responding to every foolish Facebook post is a fool’s way to share wisdom. It is like throwing rocks at every barking dog while walking to town. Unbridled comments result in an aching arm, more barking dogs, a town with a lot of broken windows, but with very little communication. Stop throwing. Start praying.

Paul’s letter was put on a slow boat, and delivered to Philemon in the hands of an unlikely messenger. Before, during and after the writing of the letter, Paul prayed for Philemon, “making mention of you in my prayers.”  

Without the benefit of E-Mail, Paul invested his time in KNEE-mail. He thanked God for Philemon, and prayed for him to receive his letter with open hands and a tender heart.

Prayer calls on The Father to mend a breech between two brothers. The Father created the relationship between brothers. He is able to mend it when brothers mention one another to The Father in prayer. The Mention begins the mending, and starts with thanking God for a brother, not criticizing him.

Much has been made of the covenant relationship that exists between God and a husband and wife. Christian marriage is not a contract between two independent people. Marriage is a covenant between two people who are dependent upon God for His direction, protection and correction.  They choose to join together, but they mutually choose to live under the eyes of God, and under the authority of God. Christian marriage is not a 50-50 contract between two independent people. It is a 100% absolute surrender of two people, choosing to be totally dependent upon God. Big difference.

The covenant relationship, between two Christian brothers, is no less powerful. Brothers do not exist because they have the right to live, but because they share a common father. In the same way, Christian brothers created by The Father are bonded to Him and to one another.

Paul thanked God for his brother, Philemon. He interceded for him to hear Paul’s heart, not just read his words, when he received his letter from the hands of their common brother, Onesimus.

Knee-mail is the lost art of Christian communication. Intercession for one another within the family of God is certainly not over-done. Sad but true, it is often under-utilized. Prayer begins the bonding of brothers by thanking God for one another, and leads to interceding for each other.

Thanking God for brothers that may not agree with us is a key component to authentic intercession. Gratitude for one another avoids having an attitude towards one another. Intercessors do not “PRAY AT” one another.  God’s purpose for intercession is for brothers to “PRAY FOR” each other.

Paul’s letter gives a glimpse into God’s method for changing a culture, one life at a time. The Mention of Philemon in prayer prepared the heart of the one who had been wronged to make things right in the life of Onesimus.  Intercession is the heartbeat of the next Great Awakening. The Mention begins with thanksgiving and leads to intercession. The next Great Awakening is a prayer away.  Thanksgiving and intercession begins with you. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Fellowship

“I hear of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints; And I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake.” Philemon 1:5-6

One of the greatest challenges of a minister or member of a local fellowship of believers is the maintenance of the balance between a love for The Lord of the work, and a passion for The Work of The Lord. Without an understanding of the difference between these two powerful forces, ministers and members lose their intense, immediate intimacy with The Lord Jesus, and the life-changing joy He provides for His work.  

In December of 1975, while completing my first year of ministry in the local church, I was invited to attend a Christmas luncheon held to honor the ministers and paid staff of our local Baptist association. It was held on a Monday, and the pastor of the host church was invited to say a few words of welcome to the hundreds of ministers. He failed to keep in mind that the crowd was gathered for a meal, not a message. This never ends well.

Our host began his weary remarks with, “On Monday I am not looking for any place to speak, because I don’t have anything left to say.” It was a rough start, a weak effort, and a poor ending. The words of the late Jerry Clower came to my mind, while enduring the insufferable, “Shoot up here amongst us! One of us needs relief.”

As I looked around that room, I was overwhelmed with the suffocating air of fatigue and mediocrity. It was a sea of earth tone suits, scuffed shoes, Expandamatic slacks, rumpled shirts, and nodding heads. It looked like a Sleep Apnea Convention, not a fellowship of soldiers celebrating a fresh victory and the birthday of The Champion. It chilled me to the bone, and I made a promise to myself, to never end up in that sorry state.

Paul referred to Philemon as a brother, a fellow worker, and fellow soldier. Philemon exhibited a priority for a love and faith toward Jesus, and he also expressed this same love and faith towards the saints. Paul’s use of the conjunction “towards Jesus and towards all the saints” forms the junction of the unction for effective ministry.

“Love and faith” are the essential oils needed to soothe the soul of The Body of Christ.  Undefeatable good will towards the saints and absolute trust in Jesus are powerful, life-giving components. Minsters and members of the fellowship must protect them from becoming cold-blooded theological terms.

Without the life-giving intimacy of a consistent companionship with Jesus, minsters turn ministry into a science, and members become glorified lab rats used for the next best experiment. When Love and faith is expressed towards Jesus, they build a fire in the heart of a minister that will never leave the saints cold. Energy expended in ministering to the saints, without intimacy with Jesus, loses the blessing of His unction, and the joy of the function. Again, this never ends well.

Note to self: Take a page out of Philemon’s playbook. Keep moving closer and closer towards Jesus. He fuels the flame of your love and your faith in Him, and turns it into a light that guides the way, and a fire that warms the hearts of the saints.

Paul interceded for Philemon, “And I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective.”  There is a difference between effective faith and efficient work. The knowledge of effective faith is found in spending time in The Presence of Jesus, not in doing more efficient work for Him. Paul honored Philemon’s love and faith expressed towards Jesus. He prayed that Philemon would continue to grow in “the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake.”

Believers reach a great turning point, when they come to the learning curve in their knowledge that The Father never withholds any good thing from His children. Anything that looks better than The Son is a myth, or a mirage, not a more effective method. Seeking better methods, and missing Jesus may lead to a good idea, but will never lead to God’s idea, focusing on love and faith towards Jesus.

Some gifts take time for a recipient to appreciate their value. Jesus is no exception. When God gave His Son as His gift of love to sinners separated from Him, there was no greater love that The Father could give. Growing in the knowledge of God’s love takes time. The old Gaither song says it best, “The Longer I Serve Him, The Sweeter He Grows.” Thanks, Bro. Swank!

What The Son willingly gave, many have quickly grabbed, but then selfishly ignored. The Fellowship begins and ends with Jesus. Those who embrace His love for them, should race to walk and to talk with Him. Too often The Fellowship becomes a focus on the service to the saints, without intimacy with The Savior.

Two “Lines That Linger” my Dad often states are,
     “Never let the system overshadow The Savior.”
     “Anything that cools your love for Jesus is sin.” Don Miller

The Work of The Lord “towards the saints” must never overshadow a ministers “love and faith” towards Jesus, The Lord of The Work. When ministers focus more on the fellowship of the saints, than intimacy towards The Savior, they are out of fellowship with Jesus, and of little use to the saints. Prayer restores fellowship with Jesus, and provides His unction for the function of ministering to the saints.

Prayerless ministers and members of The Fellowship become trapped in the function of ministry, by losing the touch of The Savior’s unction for ministry. Function without unction leads to the junction of dysfunction. Prayer puts the priority of ministry where it belongs.  Prayer points ministers towards Jesus, and then Jesus points ministers towards the saints.  TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Grace

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.”  Galatians 6:18

Paul’s prayer for “The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ” was his final word for the Galatian church. He closed his letter with, “Amen.” The contemporary church could use a heavy dose of Paul’s prayer and a full measure God’s grace. Can I get an, “Amen?”

Unfortunately those who talk the most about grace walk in it so little. When they encounter those who use their vocabulary of grace, but do not share their definition of it, there is very little grace expressed. Framing the debate gets lost in shaming their opponent.  Shedding more heat than light never produces sweet fruit, but it does leave a bitter after-taste.

Today the blogosphere and too many pulpits are platforms for the public ranting and ripping of relationship over the ways and means to receive God’s grace. Those hungering and thirsting after righteousness are often invited to a debate, not to a banquet. When the knives come out, and the educated opinions slice and dice the definition of grace into gauze-like fabric, it barely resembles the blanket of love God throws over those exposed by His holiness.  

Sin strips people of dignity by shaming them with their own nakedness. The enemy is never satisfied, by doing this privately, and makes sure the shame is as public as possible. Sin humiliates the sinner. Grace covers sin. God hates sin, but He loves sinners. His grace is greater than sin, and He loves people too much to leave them trapped in sin. Grace wins over sin. This only happens…EVERY TIME.

God’s grace covers a multitude of sin, one person at a time. When Paul prayed for “The Grace of The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit” he did so as the chief of sinners, not as a self-appointed fruit inspector. Big difference.

“It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.” 1 Timothy 2: 15

“The Grace of The Lord Jesus Christ” is not a cosmic cover-up. It is not a fine print escape clause that allows a sinner caught off-course to continue heading toward a point of no return.  Grace began in the heart of God, but it is best revealed by a personal turnaround in the life of a grace-filled believer.  Paul shared this personal testimony.

“I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet, I was shown mercy…and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 1:13b-14

“ARE WE THERE YET?” This one phrase may be the most innocent and annoying question ever uttered by a child. Every parent on an endless road trip has heard it. Every child has said it, over and over and over and over and over, but I digress.

Paul’s personal turnaround began at a point of grace, but he continued to walk in the “grace of the Lord Jesus.” He did not outrace or reject His pace, while racing toward a cliff in a spirit of uncorrected rebellion. Paul was shamed by his sin, but didn’t remain in his shame. He was renamed by The Risen Lord, but he was tamed by His grace. He was not less Paul, but “The Grace of our Lord was more than abundant.”

When Jesus invests His grace in the life of a believer, it is a coin marked by two sides of equal value, faith and love. A child’s simple prayer plants the grace of Jesus into a heart of faith, but only consistent companionship with Jesus matures grace into a personal fruit bearing of His love. This love is not a man-made imitation, but The Fruit of The Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23)

In 1972, recently graduated from Baylor University, my Dad and I took the long road trip from Waco, Texas to Long Island, New York.  I had been a Christian since the age of six, but The Fruit of The Spirit remained scarce in my life due to one crop failure after another. When my Dad heard me out, he said, “You need to be filled with The Spirit.” I responded, “I tried that once, and it didn’t work. If the Holy Spirit is that weak, who needs Him.” He said quietly, “I hope you and Jesus become friends one day.” From the Shenandoah Valley to the Long Island Expressway, not much was said. Talking rarely improves walking. It only postpones it. The choice was mine.

Abundant grace is not discovered by talking about Jesus, but by walking with Him in faith and love. Over the past 42 years, the definition of the grace as God’s undeserved, unmerited favor has been inspiring. The simple expression of  G.R.A.C.E. – God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense has been informing, but consistent companionship with Jesus has been transforming.

Stunted or interrupted fruit bearing are not a result of a lack of information, but the lack of transformation. The Spirit of Christ conforms believers to Jesus, and produces His character in them.

Believers who ask Jesus into their heart must keep praying or they begin straying. Grace is planted by a prayer, but the fruit of grace is nurtured by praying. Praying people are not perfect people. They are only connected people. Prayerless people are separated from The Vine, and they lose their connection with The Source of life-giving power for The Fruit of The Spirit.

Prayer keeps the power of The Presence of Jesus flowing into the life of a believer. Prayer is the connection with His life-giving root. When it is interrupted, it must be restored for consistent companions of Jesus to have any hope of bearing His fruit.

Prayer restores a walk with Jesus with the breath that is in a believer’s lungs. Prayerless people are prideful people who settle for their own imitation fruit. The world isn’t buying what they produce. Neither is Jesus.  Grace filled believers bear The Fruit of The Spirit in their spirit.  

Prayer races to grace, but persistent praying turns The Race to Jesus into The Walk with Jesus. The proof of The Walk is in The Fruit of The Spirit. Settle for nothing but the best, the character of Jesus. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Brand

“From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren.  Amen.” Galatians 6: 17-18

The tipping point in any personal relationship is the capacity of two people to grow in their awareness and their appreciation for the pain they cause one another. Long lasting relationships are not death-defying partnerships.  They are life-giving creations of God’s grace and they are sustained by “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Grace filled people don’t just admit to God when they are wrong. They change behavior to avoid repeatedly hurting those they have offended.  Paul was not ashamed to say, “Let no one cause me trouble.” He had been hurt and wanted it to stop. There is simply no education in the second kick of a mule.

Change in behavior is not made by saying, “I’m sorry.” It begins by admitting to God, “I was wrong.” It leads to the humility to say to others, “Please forgive me.”  Forgiven people should be the first to forgive. When they don’t race to forgive, they are full of themselves, not God’s grace.  The point: Race to grace.

Note to self: Praying for someone who has offended you, doesn’t make what they did to you any less offensive. Praying for them softens your heart to forgive them, and to let go of the offense. Prayer may not always change the offender, but praying for “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ” changes you.

Holding onto past offenses requires a white-knuckled grip of the soul. It transforms offense, real or imagined, into life-sapping resentment. Relationships based on an expectation of perfect treatment from imperfect people have the life expectancy of a fruit fly, and bear no fruit.

The Fruit of The Spirit fills a person with the capacity to forgive, to let go, and to move on with the offender. Grace is revealed, by letting go of the offense, not choking the life out of the offender.

Citizens of Graceland are marked by “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.” The very sight or thought of an offender can release a revealing narrative. When the offended meets the offender, the conversation should not begin with “Once upon a time.” Paul came to the point of grace with those who offended him when he could say, “From now on.” Grace makes a difference between repeating a story and creating a new one.

Paul prayed for those who hurt him, and found “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ to say, “From now on.” These words reveal a willing spirit to begin again with those who hurt him, not a passion to punish them.

Relationships within the body of Christ are rarely pain-free, and those who enter into the fellowship of believers will need grace to deal with hurting people. People who have been hurt will hurt other people. It is never wise to look towards hurting people as the source of “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.” They must be recipients of this grace before they become conduits of His grace.

Paul bore brand-marks on his physical body that were a result of the hatred of his enemies, the betrayal by his friends, the rejection by his peers, and the constant conspiracies of his competitors. They were not painless encounters, and they left a mark on him. When Paul ran his hands over his scars, they reminded him of Jesus, not his offenders. Grace always will.

Paul’s words indicate an expectation on his part to see a change in those who hurt him. “From now on” expresses willingness, to move one with his offenders, not a death-wish hold on a grudge against them.

Praying for those who hurt him turned Paul’s brand-marks into signposts of God’s grace in his life. The cowboy culture has an expression, “Riding for The Brand.” This describes a cowboy’s willingness to identify with the owner of the outfit, obey his orders, and protect his cattle, come what may. Paul’s identification with The Owner over-rode any pain or price he experienced “Riding for The Brand.”

“From now on” kind of grace requires a passion for prayer in those who have been offended. Praying for offenders is not a one-time event but a life-long process. Grace is not a short ride in a rodeo. Grace comes from a close walk with Jesus down a long road with hurting people. Prayer is more than a little talk with Jesus. Prayer is a long walk with Him, and releases His grace.

Painful scars have the power to trigger stories that begin with “Once upon a time.” “The grace of The Lord Jesus Christ” releases the power to say, “From now on.” When holding on to an offense gets in the way of moving on with the offender, let go of the offense and take hold of Jesus. Pray your way to grace.

Prayer releases the offense, and releases grace in your spirit for the offender, by bearing in you The Fruit of The Spirit. Anything less is Brand X. Don’t settle. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Name

“But may it never be that I would boast, except in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”  Galatians 6:14

This week has been an eventful and emotional experience for my parents and my siblings. We packed and moved Mom and Dad to their new home, and likely their last address on earth. Due to recent falls, failing health, and future concerns for their safety, we all finally came to a sense of urgency that the time had come to make the move.

Coming to agreement in our family is not an easy process. Mom and Dad are fiercely independent people, and they have passed that trait down to all four of their children. We share a common name, and after that the similarities end. As the kids say, “It is all good,” but the truth is, we are very different.  

Adversity and diversity don’t often bring out the best in each other, but this week was a team effort as these two turbulent streams surged into a tight timeline. I am proud of my wife, my parents, my two brothers and my sister and dear family friends for pulling together to make this move happen. Great job!

The good news out of all this was our family was able to come together around our common bond with a genuine desire to do what is best for our parents, and to honor them at the same time. The name we share is not just a collection of letters in the alphabet. We have a name given to us by our parents. Their love for one another was forged in God’s heart, and given to them. For the past 69 years, their love for one another has been poured out on us, and it is deeply rooted in our hearts.  

To say that our parents sacrificed for their four children, doesn’t do them justice. They never saw what they gave to us as a loss, but as an investment in our future. These last few days, the four of us have sought to return, in small portion, all they have done for us, by making this transition as smooth as possible.

Moving my parents from their home of 37 years to a retirement home has not been easy for them, or for us. The consolation for all of us has been the common knowledge that it was the right thing to do.  Dad has helped us by saying, “The best is yet to come.” Mom has quietly reminded us, “It’s all going to work out.” Thanks Mom and Dad! It helped. A LOT!

Thank you for giving us your love, as well as your name. I still want to be like you, when I grow up.

Paul’s letter to the Galatian church reminded them of his personal love for the name of Jesus, and his personal assessment of his own life. He knew he was nothing without the name of Jesus.  When The Risen Lord stopped Paul on the Road to Damascus, He changed his name and his life. Paul turned from a man looking for fame, to a man boasting only in “the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Thanks Paul, for pointing the way to Jesus.

Note to self: The name of Jesus is all that you have that God recognizes. He is not impressed with your life efforts, your resume, your mind, or your opinion. He looks at The Cross and expects to see you on it, dead not alive. You are only alive to Him in Christ. Every time you pray in the name of Jesus is a celebration of the death, burial and resurrection of The Lord Jesus Christ. You only have access to The Father, in the name of His Son. Praying and dying to self releases Christ’s life in you.

Name-droppers are the lowest form of celebrity status. Facebook and smart phones have turned photo ops and celebrity stalking into a fine art. Hand on hip, fish face pouted Facebook pics of stalkers leaning into trapped celebrities may be trophies, but they do not reveal a relationship exists. Warning: They can be used as evidence in court for a restraining order. But I digress.

Paul did not boast in “The name of The Lord Jesus Christ” as some name-dropping stalker seeking borrowed fame. He boasted as a dead man, who had been made alive in Christ.  The boasting of his life was not in how well he had lived, but in the fact that he had died to his own will and to the ways of the world. Look at Paul’s resume. It begins and ends at The Cross.

“The world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

With no irreverence intended, I am reminded of the title of an old James Bond movie, “The World is Not Enough.” It never is.

Death to self is not a single event. It is a single-minded, single-hearted passion to put to death anything that cools genuine love for Jesus. Death to self is crucifixion, not suicide. Suicide is full of self. Crucifixion is an emptying of self. At The Cross,  self dies by identifying with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Prayer warriors never forget the nails.

There is no new life in Christ without the crucifixion of self. This death begins the moment a believer is saved, and continues until the believer is called home to Heaven. This kind of death results in the burial of the pride of life, and the lusts of the flesh that seek self-glorification over self-crucifixion.

Note to self: The moment pride raises its head, personal rights demand a defense, or resentment rises over God’s intervention, look to The Cross and pray for forgiveness, and renewed filling of The Spirit, in “The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ.”  Don’t wait 20 seconds. Delayed obedience, only develops intense rationalization. Your walk with God is based on the breath you have in your lungs, not in the good will you have accumulated with Him over the past 40 years. One degree of delayed obedience leads to a way of life that is 100 percent off course.

Over my parents bed is a small wooden triangle. It gives a simple picture of the process of death to self.  At the apex of the triangle is the word, STOP! At the corner on the left is the word, LOOK! On the right is the word, LISTEN! The cross bar holding all this together is marked, PRAY!

STOP! When walking in your own will, and not in God’s way, stop immediately. Moving without dying is wandering. STOP!

LOOK! Walking with the world often looks more appealing than talking with Jesus. When it does, look to The Cross and die to the world. Praying improves your vision of right and wrong.

LISTEN! The Father speaks to His children when they pray to Him in “The Name of The Lord Jesus Christ.” Hearing is improved by dying to self and praying to The Father. Jesus prayed “Not My will, but Thy will be done.” He also said, “Follow Me! Death to self is no more complicated than that.

The Opportunity

“The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:6-10

Pauls’ statement begins with what appears to be a derailed remark that has jumped the track from a train of thought dealing with self-examination and losing heart. Closer examination reveals that sharing and bearing fruit are closely related. Those who sow The Spirit will reap eternal life in Heaven, and they exhibit a generous life on earth.

“The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.” V. 6

FULL DISCLOSURE: I am an itinerant minister who depends on the generosity of the people of faith to respond to my teaching with a spirit of generosity. I was raised in the home of a pastor-evangelist, and church-planting missionary for the first 22 years of my life. I followed in the footsteps of my father, by responding to God’s call on my life to be a minister of The Gospel. From 1972-2014, I have seen God meet the needs of our family. Everything I have in my possession is a result of God’s children releasing their grasp on what The Father has given to them and passing it on to me. I have been an undeserving, but grateful beneficiary of the generosity of those willing “to share all good things with the one who teaches…” After 64 years of experience, I can say with a great deal of authority, “There is simply nothing like the joy of living by faith.”

Paul reminded the Galatian believers to share in meeting the very real financial and physical needs of those who taught them. Those who make excuses for not doing this are the ones who miss The Opportunity. The Opportunity to give is not meant to be a draining of one’s assets. It is God’s way of bringing blessing to the giver of the gift, and the receiver of it. Don’t take my word for it. “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Jesus

Those who are proponents of the “Give to Get” School of Finance, usually over-state their case, but rarely forget to ask those who take their course to make the check out in their name. Paul’s teaching on the subject of giving had more to do with giving than getting, but there is no doubt about it, with sowing comes reaping.

Three things about reaping ought to be kept in mind, by those who have a tendency to miss out on The Opportunity to give.

1. You reap what you sow.
2. You reap later than you sow.
3. You reap more than you sow.

In the fall of 1975, I heard a country preacher in Marble Falls, Texas address a group of pastors at a Baptist Associational Evangelism Rally at the First Baptist Church. He had been given the dubious honor on the program of taking the offering. Lifting an offering from preachers makes getting blood out of a turnip look like child’s play. This guy was a seasoned veteran.

To say that preachers are notoriously tight with their money is a bit of an overstatement, but not by much. In the 1960’s when the Southern Baptist Convention ventured across the Mason Dixon line, and held their annual meeting in a northern city, the newspapers reported, “The Southern Baptists came to town with a $50 bill and The Ten Commandments, and never broke either one.” But I digress.

Back to Marble Falls, the preacher taking the offering said to his peers, “You shovel out. God shovels in. God’s shovel is bigger than yours. Let’s pray.” He called for the ushers to take the offering, while the musician presented the “Special Music.” It was a solo of “Amazing Grace” played on a handsaw. There wasn’t a closed wallet or a dry eye in the place. You can’t make this stuff up, and I miss it more than I am willing to admit.

The Opportunity to give always seems to be offered in the face of a prevailing wind. Those who pray for renewed faith to give, often sail into powerful gusts of The Flesh. Rather than selfishly holding onto what God has given to them, they pray. This kind of prayer is called importunity and it is the key to seizing The Opportunity. It takes giving seriously enough to cry out to God to replace what He calls for them to give to others. Prayer warriors learn that The Father’s storehouses are never depleted, and that it is simply impossible to out-give God.

Paul encouraged the early church to give to those who taught them. His ministry had been an itinerant one, and it had landed him in chains next to a Roman soldier. Unable to come to Galatia, Paul urged them to meet the needs of those who took his place. Generously giving to those who teach the word has always been a vital sign of a healthy church.

Pastors must lead their people to give generously to those who teach the word. Many do this so reluctantly that the offering taken for a guest preacher or missionary is the best-kept secret in the church. Wise pastors don’t fear calling on people to give to someone else. Teaching people to be generous in giving to others who teach the word won’t deplete the local church of anything but selfishness.

Sowing to The Flesh involves yielding to selfishness. Sowing to The Spirit results in bearing of fruit. The bearing of fruit is the result of sowing the right seed, and being connected to the right root. Those who “Give to Get” miss The Opportunity to give with the right motive. Those who give an offering of love will find out that they develop a taste for it. They no longer are satisfied with “Give to Get.” They “Give to Get to Give” over and over again. Love is the DNA of The Spirit.

“The fruit of The Spirit is love.” Galatians 5:22-23

The Opportunity to give will be missed if excuses flow out a person’s mouth faster than God’s love grows in their heart. Being filled with The Spirit and being selfish is an unacceptable expression of the love of Christ. Those focused on giving that is merely reduced to a certain percentage need to be reminded of the words of Dr. Jack “Cactus Jack” McGorman.

“Jesus did not die by fractions on the cross.”

Paul’s admonition is also a warning. It is possible for The Opportunity to give to be missed. Along with the missing of The Opportunity is the loss of blessing. Seizing The Opportunity requires letting go of what is held onto with a selfish grip. Releasing a gift into God’s hand to use as He sees fit, without throwing a fit, reveals the DNA of The Spirit, not The Flesh. Prayer warriors seize The Opportunity, and love to give generously. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

“… while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

The Proof

“But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. For each one will bear his own load.” Galatians 6:6

During the wild and crazy days of The Jesus Revolution, there was a question that was often raised when Jesus People gathered together. Almost 50 years later, it is worth asking again.

“If you were accused of the crime of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence available to convict you?”

Paul challenged the Galatian believers to prove themselves, by examining, not by excusing themselves. He said, “Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.” (v.2) When Jesus was asked what was the greatest commandment, He responded with two, “First love God. Second love your neighbor.”

The Proof is love, vertical and horizontal. The Proof of a believer is not found in evidence of their education. It is found in the results of their examination.

Tearing down others to build up one’s self has been developed into an art form by many within the church. Painstakingly and relentlessly dissecting the faults of brothers and sisters never improves the fellowship. Self-appointed fruit inspectors do not have good standing with God, or with the family of God.

Paul made a case for restoring people surprised by temptation. With gentle hands, believers were challenged to humbly remember, except for the grace of God, they could be caught in the same trap.

The gentlest hands are guided by praying hearts broken by the sin observed in others. They are not overjoyed by it, but they do not ignore it.

“Discernment is given for intercession, never fault-finding.”
Oswald Chambers (British preacher, teacher, philosopher, and WW I army chaplain who died in Egypt in 1914)

Over a hundred years ago, Oswald Chambers observed the danger of hypocrites posing as concerned believers within The Body of Christ. He called for proof of concern of another person’s burden, by responding with immediate intercession for anyone caught in sin. Posers intensify inspection. Prayer warriors engage in intercession. The proof is in the praying.

Those who try to find joy in exposing someone’s sin will never have their thirst satisfied. Inspecting without interceding is like drinking salt water. At best it leaves a bitter after taste, and if continued unabated it leads to death. Those who choose to live in “The Land of OS” will resist the urge for inspection, and invest their energy in intercession.

Bearing burdens begins by caring enough to pray, and praying leads to meeting needs. This was not an open invitation for users of the system to become abusers of it. The Jewish synagogue had a support system for those who were hit by hard times. When the church was started in Gentile communities, there was nothing like this kind of benevolent safety net. Jesus created it.

The love of God in the heart of a believer creates a concern for the needs of His children. The reciprocal, “one another” passages of Scripture reveal an immediate bond between people who may not be blood relatives, but they share the experience of being adopted into a loving family that The Father has created.

“Bearing one another’s burdens” begins with praying for others on a spiritual level, but it leads to caring for them on a physical level. The beauty of The Body of Christ is the pain that is experienced when one part of The Body is hurt, and the swift response that is made by family members to meet a need.

“Restore” paints a word picture that describes the resetting and knitting of a broken bone, or the replacement of a joint separated from its socket. Anyone who has ever experienced either one of these traumas knows that there is not only a need, but there is also a need for speed. Even the most insignificant part of the physical body can create significant pain and initiate a swift response to ease intense pain.

The Proof is in the praying, and praying brings real joy. Proving one’s own works, or carrying one’s own load requires a prayer life marked by integrity and intensity. People who carry their own load pray for the strength to avoid sin, and the grace to restore those who have been caught in it. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

“The true way to have rejoicing in ourselves is to be much in proving our own works, in examining ourselves by the unerring rule of God’s word, and not by the false measures of what others are, or may think of us.” Matthew Henry