The Strength

"Satan has asked permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you , when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." Luke 22:32

DAY 1: PRAY FOR STRENGTH! Following the triumphal entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem, He gathered His disciples in the upper room to celebrate The Passover. As evening drew near, the disciples faithfully observed this time-honored tradition of the Hebrew people.

As they celebrated their ancestors deliverance from their slavery in Egypt, the disciples were unaware of the gathering storm of spiritual warfare that was approaching them. Jesus was not caught off guard by what was coming. He was prepared to meet the conflict, not avoid it. His mission was to confront and defeat the enemy. Prayer was his mighty weapon of warfare. He wielded it against the evil one, as He interceded for His disciples to conquer their temptation to run in the face of the enemy.

Jesus said to Peter, the natural born leader of The Twelve, "Satan has asked permission to sift you like wheat; " Luke 22:31

Any success in the battle between good and evil swings on the hinges of Christ's permission and His intercession. Some politically correct preachers find it hard to believe, but Jesus believed in Satan. Jesus did not believe Satan was omnipotent, but he was real. He still is, but he also has real limitations. He has to seek permission from Jesus to test the strength of Peter.

Never forget. Faith is revealed when you first believe in Jesus. Faith is strengthened when you understand Jesus believes in you. Satan's mission is to steal, kill and destroy. Because he is a liar, he believes everyone else is a liar too. In the case of Peter, Satan was confident he could destroy Peter's witness by attacking his faith. Jesus understands that a person's faith is strengthened by these attacks. Satan is a slow learner. He will come after your faith too. Be ready for it.

Jesus told Peter, "but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." Luke 22:3

"But" is the conjunction that marks the junction where the prayers of Jesus meet Satan's attack on your faith. Personal strength is needed for a relentless struggle against evil. Jesus prayed for Peter to place his confidence in God, not in himself. Jesus was aware of Peter's capacity for either fear or faith. He could see where Peter's pride was going to take Him. He warned him failure was coming, but he encouraged him to fail forward, and strengthen his brothers with what he would learn from his fall.

"If I could hear Jesus praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. But the distance makes no difference. He is praying for me." Robert Murray M'Cheyne

Jesus knew Peter's arrogant, self-confidence was based upon an inflated assessment of his own strength. Personal pride was Peter's greatest hindrance to his battle against evil. He relied too heavily on his own opinion and he valued his own courage to highly. When he heard Jesus say He was praying for him, he didn't thank Him for it. He boasted to Jesus, and shamed the other disciples by boldly claiming.

"Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death." v. 33

Peter didn't know what he was saying, but his words were filled with truth. Deaf to the words of Jesus, he took strength in the sound of his own voice. Rather than taking the words of Jesus to heart, he relied upon his past track record. Peter had no idea his pride was setting the pace in a race to disgrace.

Peter was exactly right. Pay attention to his words, "Lord, with You I am ready..." When Peter was with Jesus he was full of faith, not fear. Peter was in the habit of taking credit for his past successes, without recognizing Jesus was the source of his strength. When Peter kept his eyes on Jesus he was capable of great faith. When he lost sight of Jesus, he was capable of great fear. Independence doesn't strengthen you for the battle against evil. Dependence does. Are you ready for the battle? PRAY!

NOTE TO SELF: Pray for strength. You don't have what you need to face what the forces of evil can put in your path. No matter how hard you try to see into the dark, you just never see it coming without the eyes of faith. Jesus is the source of all you need for the challenges you face. Prayer enables you to hear Jesus praying for you, and to experience His Spirit filling you with His courage. Boasting of your own strength only reveals your weakness to the enemy. Humbling yourself before God invites The Strengthener to fill you with His Presence. The battle is coming. Get ready.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Walk

As you prepare for the celebration of Resurrection Sunday, consider taking a walk with Jesus to recall what The Savior did for you. Luke's account of the events between Palm Sunday and Resurrection Day, is a vivid portrayal of the prayer life of the Lord, Jesus.

Luke was not a first hand observer of the life of Jesus, but he was a faithful historian, documenting not only what happened during those days, but offering keen insight into why it all happened.There is little doubt that the Apostle Paul was a great source for Luke's documentation of those early days of the church. From Paul he learned It is not enough to know the history of the resurrection, believers must experience the power of it.

Those seeking the power of The Risen Christ must have a passion for intimate fellowship with The Spirit of Christ. This power is released by embracing the fellowship of Christ's suffering. Paul had been on hand when Stephen was stoned to death. He witnessed the capacity of this Spirit-filled man to live out his faith in Christ, and to die with forgiveness on his lips for those who took his life. Stephen didn't just know about the Resurrection, he had intimate fellowship with The Risen Christ.

This is the difference that revealed in Stephen the power of The Resurrection. Dead men have no rights that can be taken from them. Because Stephen had died to his rights, he was able to intercede for the rights of others. Paul must have been haunted by the last words Stephen spoke.

"Lord, do not hold this sin against them!"
Acts 7:60

Paul's life was not transformed by being informed. His life changed with he was confronted with his sin, and he embraced The Risen Christ on the Road to Damascus. From that moment on Paul never stopped walking with Jesus, no matter where Jesus would lead him. This is the walk that leads to the fellowship of His suffering. Genuine Christianity is revealed on earth by dead men walking.

"That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering being conformed to His death in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3:10

DAY 1: PRAY FOR STRENGTH: Following the triumphal of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem, He gathered His disciples in the upper room to celebrate The Passover. As evening drew near, the disciples faithfully observed the tradition. They were unaware of the gathering storm of spiritual warfare that was approaching them. Jesus was not caught off guard by it. His mission was not to avoid the conflict. He was sent to confront and defeat the enemy. Prayer was his mighty weapon of warfare. He wielded it, as He interceded for His disciples to conquer temptation.
"Satan has asked permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you , when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." Luke 22:32
DAY 2: PRAY FOR RESISTANCE: "Pray that you may not enter into temptation." Luke 22: 40
DAY 3: PRAY FOR BROKENNESS: "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done." Luke 22:42
DAY 4: PRAY FOR FORGIVENESS: "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34
DAY 5: PRAY FOR RELEASE: "Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT." Luke 23:46
DAY 6: PRAY FOR DISCERNMENT: "He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him;" Luke 24: 31
DAY 7: PRAY FOR HOPE: "While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into Heaven." Luke 24:51

NOTE TO SELF: Your walk with The Risen Christ is the next 20 seconds. Don't postpone your walk to take your next breath. Begin your fellowship with the breath that you have in your lungs. Prayer is the breath of Heaven, and it release Christ's power on earth.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Devotion

"We will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." Acts 6:4

Those who wish to reconnect the contemporary church to its ancient root system need to take a close look at what the early church fathers. They found themselves in the middle of a crisis, when complaints had arisen among the people concerning the treatment of widows.

Real or imagined, perception is the cruelest form of truth. The early church was divided, and the gap between the two groups was widening with persistent complaints of mistreatment. The solution selected by The Twelve should be a prototype for every church experiencing conflict.

The Twelve devoted themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word. They also commissioned a Spirit-filled task force to solve the problem. Crisis averted.

To be devoted means to be strong, to be steadfast, to endure, to be continuously patient, to give unremitting care to a thing. It is much more than emotion. It is a disciplined adherence to a chosen path. It describes an uninterrupted, earnest pursuit towards something precious, and a willingness to persevere, and to be constantly diligent toward a singular purpose in life.

In this case, prayer and the ministry of the word of God would be the chosen path for the church. The early church fathers would not be sidetracked by conflict, or detoured by crisis. They would persevere in prayer, and focus their eyes upon the word of God. Great advice.

The ancient enemy of the church knows that a church focused on prayer and the word of God is formidable, but a church divided by complaints and conflict is vulnerable. Prayerless and powerless churches are not much of a hindrance to the enemy. They lack courage for the fight and are blinded to the schemes of the enemy.

"The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, or prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray." Samuel Chadwick

The early church fathers were devoted to prayer, but what kind of prayer? Anyone who has attended a weekly prayer meeting in a local church knows how easily it can be hijacked into a laundry list of medical reports, or replaced with a monthly business meeting. It is hard to imagine this is what the founders had in mind. What did these men sense about prayer that made it vitally important to the survival and the revival of the church?

The founders were devoted to prayer to maintain personal, consistent companionship with Jesus. They were devoted to the word of God to keep the church obedient to His mission. The were dependable and they were expendable. They never forgot Jesus was the Head of the Church.

Prayer is the air they breathed for the courage to face the enemy, and the word is the light they depended upon for the clarity needed to fight the enemy. The enemy loves to fight in the dark. Prayer and the word of God exposes the schemes of the enemy. Wise warriors in this Spiritual Warfare never go to war without making use of both.

NOTE TO SELF: Don't pray to ask God to bless your plans for your life. Pray in order to get in on His plan for your life. Prayer is not about giving God His assignments to bless you. Prayer is about getting your life into alignment to serve Him. Devotion is consistent companionship with Jesus. Stay in His Presence long enough for the Spirit of God to tune your ear to His voice. When you hear Him speak, confirm what you hear with what He has revealed in God's word. The two will never contradict one another. No fellowship can be called Christ's Church without being devoted to both.

"Knowing God's will in specifics comes out of consistent companionship with God."
Lloyd John Ogilvie

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The R.E.S.T.

“O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; nor do I involve myself in great matters, or in things too difficult for me. Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child rests against his mother, my soul is like a weaned child within me. O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forever.” Psalms 131: 1-3

David has been described as “The Sweet Psalmist of Israel.” His songs flowed from the soul of a man who was described by God as, “a man after My own heart.” Let that sink in for a moment. God knew David warts and all, yet God could see at the very heart of this man was a moral compass that drew him back into His Presence.

David discovered that the pride and haughtiness of his own heart was a hindrance to his intimacy with God. Believing in his own infallibility fed his ego, but starved his soul. Racing ahead of God led David to breathe his own ether, and dulled his senses, causing him to listen to bad counsel and to make poor choices. This never ended well for David on the battlefield or the home front. 

Simply put, the prayerless are prideful. The world honors the loud man with the plan, not the quiet man on his knees. The haughty man beats his chest declaring, to one and all, he has all the answers. The humble man knows his limitations and relies on God for the answers. The haughty man is weak. The praying man is meek. Never confuse meekness with weakness. Jesus didn’t. Paul didn’t. Neither should you.

Perhaps the following Scripture is the best preamble for answered prayer. Those who have all the answers see no need to pray. At best they postpone it until they run out of options. At worst, they mock those who pray. Don’t be like those who treat prayer as the last resort. Embrace prayer as your first choice.

“O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; nor do I involve myself in great matters, or in things too difficult for me.

David was not a poet mindlessly and serenely strumming his harp in the quiet solitude of a mountain retreat. He was more like a man composing poetry while wrestling with alligators.  Sometimes his Psalms read like a toxic “Whine List.” David was not immune from despair, discouragement or defeat. He had enemies in high and low places, but like you and me, David was his own worst enemy. He broke God’s heart more than once.

NOTE TO SELF: When you break God’s heart, be sure to break it for the right reason.

“Two things break the heart of God. Rebellion and repentance.”

Don Miller, 1922-2015

When David came to the end of himself, he turned his back on his sin and turned his face to God. David discovered true manhood was authentic child-likeness. Anyone who has ever seen a restless child calmed by a mother’s milk is aware of what David was describing. To a child, their mother’s breasts are a source of provision, and her arms are a place of protection. When children are hungry they know on whom to call. When they are afraid they race, bawling, crawling or running to their mother’s arms. Follow their lead. Prayer is not about eloquence. It is all about dependence.

“I have composed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child rests against his mother, my soul is like a weaned child within me.”

As a Shepherd David was called many times to battle against overwhelming odds in fights against evil men and wild beasts.  As the anointed King he led outlaws and disenfranchised people to wage war against powerful, relentless, and established enemies. Victory was not found in the might of his sword, but in the arms of God.

David was an anointed man before he was an appointed man.  From years of solitude in the hills surrounding Bethlehem, David discovered his true source of power, personal intimacy with God. In Scripture, when David, “Inquired of the LORD,” he experienced victory. When he didn’t seek God’s counsel, he failed miserably. Learn the lesson. This only happens…EVERY TIME.

Psalms 131 describes David’s level of intimacy with God, as child-like trust. He rested in the knowledge that he didn’t have all the answers. He took the questions to the One who did.  Intimacy with God soothed his soul and calmed his heart. It will do the same for you. There is no greater relief in the world than the discovery that God is God and you are not. Accept no substitutes.

Urgency robs your soul of intimacy with The Father.  Thirty years ago I discovered a little booklet entitled, “The Tyranny of the Urgent.” It was a call for me to discover the difference between what was important and what was urgent in life. Fear of the urgent makes my heart race. Praying for the important calms my soul.

Those who discern the difference between these two choices find themselves at peace in The Presence of God. Those who don’t become like Mr. Castanza, on the old Jerry Seinfeld TV show. He was always capping the the volcano of his boiling rage and shouting out, “Serenity Now!” It was painful to watch, and even more painful to live.

“…Hope in the LORD from this time forth and forever.”

In Scripture hope and wait are interchangeable truths. There is simply no hope of rest for the people of God who refuse to wait upon the LORD. When you don’t make time to wait on God you experience the dire consequences of“WAIT LOSS!” It will cost you more than you want to pay. When you pray, wait in His Presence long enough to find R.E.S.T. for you soul. When faced with the choice between the URGENT and IMPORTANT, Release Every Single Thing to God in prayer. Even a restless child won’t stay up all night when they are provided for and protected in the arms of a loving parent. R.E.S.T! God stays up all night.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Dreamers

“When the LORD brought back the captive ones of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful shouting; then they said among the nations, ‘The LORD has done great things for them.’ ” Psalms 126:1-2

The recent release of Pastor Saeed Abedini from an Iranian prison provided a powerful image of the transformation that takes place when a prisoner is released from captivity. It not only impacted the life of one man, it brought joy to the soul of a nation.

The Psalmist led the people of Israel to praise God for the restoration and recovery that comes when The LORD “brought back the captive one’s of Israel.”

It us understood, that King David would not have been aware of the return of the captives from their Babylonian captivity. This Psalm is a call to rejoice every time the Spirit of the Living God intervenes to break the chains of captivity. It is also a reminder that a watching world is waiting to praise God for it.

The Hebrew language is rich and complex. From my one year of study of it in seminary, I only scratched the surface of its depth, but Hebrew created an itch in my spirit to know more.

From what I can determine, the same word for dream can also mean a restoration to robust health. Literally it meant plump, or fat and fleshy. It was used to describe the healthy state of growing infants and reproducing flocks.

Dreamers are not those who walk around in a cosmic coma like Zion Zombies. They are overjoyed at the release from their captivity and overwhelmed by God’s gracious intervention on their behalf.

There are all kinds of captives, trapped in a plethora of prisons. The mission of our ancient enemy is to “steal, kill and destroy.” Those who enter his grotesque gulag often do so willingly. Don’t be one of them.

One of the price tags of a consumer culture is the cost it puts on granting people the desires of their heart. It devours joy by granting people exactly what they want. Transforming the human drive to make a difference into the drudgery of making a living robs people of joy, by depriving them of sleep, and incarcerating them in debtor’s prison.

America is recognized as the wealthiest nation in the history of the world. By comparison, people in America living in poverty still have a standard of living that surpasses most of Western Europe. In spite of America’s abundance, there is little joy among “The Haves” and there is great angst among “The Have Nots.” Both camps are composed of captives who need to be released from prison, and they both have members active in your local church. Set them free.

Joy is the spontaneous expression of a healthy, restored, robust soul. Entertainment is the world’s substitute for joy, and those who drink from that well are not quenching their thirst from a cultural Kool-Aid. They are dying of thirst from swallowing Satan’s salt water. Give them living water.

“Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful shouting; then they said among the nations, ‘The LORD has done great things for them.’ The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad.” Psalms 126:2

“Then” is one of those words that God loves to use as a tipping point in the middle of what appears to be an encounter with the impossible. By itself “Then” does not hold great significance. Thanks to the Blue Letter Bible Commentary I know it is, “a demonstrative adverb; at that time or place; also as a conjunction, therefore: beginning, for, from, hitherto, now, of old, once, since, then, at which time, yet.” See what I mean.

It comes as no surprise that parents do not select “Then” as a biblical name for their children. Perhaps they should. When “Then” is attached to the power and The Presence of The Living God the tipping point of a crisis is transformed into a turning point in the life of a child of God. Never underestimate “Then.”

My father, Don Miller, was fond of reminding me that prayer has the capacity to transform the “impossible” into the “HIMpossible.” This only happens…EVERY TIME.

The Dreamers are the children of God who have been set free from captivity. They exhibit a robust, healthy personal plumpness and a corporate countenance of joy that cannot be hidden from a world starving for it. While feasting on laughter they still hunger for joy. Scripture reminds us that when they see it, they don’t envy it. They praise God for it.

“The LORD has done great things for them.”

NOTE TO SELF: Don’t rob yourself of joy by willingly signing over your assets to a false god offered up to you by a real thief. God can turn your place of captivity into a turning point. He releases your debts and restores your dreams. Prayer empowers you to dream again.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Creator

“Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.” Psalms 124:8

After winning the Iowa caucus a Presidential candidate began his victory speech with, “To God be the glory.” It was a heartfelt expression of gratitude, and a welcome relief from the barrage of braggadocio and bravado that usually accompanies a win or a spin in the political arena. This was no spiking of the ball in the end zone. It was a bowing of his head before Almighty God. How refreshing.

This same candidate went on to remark in his speech that the rights of the individuals in this nation do not come from the Democratic, Republican or Tea Party, but are the gifts of The Creator. It was a reference to one of the earliest founding documents of this nation.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Declaration of Independence July 1776

The Honorable Bob McEwen, former six-term Congressman from Ohio, offers a colorful definition of these self-evident truths. He says, “This is a gracious Jeffersonian way of saying, ‘Any fool ought to understand this.’ “ Thanks for clearing the air, Bob.

The Psalmist encouraged people to worship The Creator, not as a force of nature or a benign, benevolent concept. He recognized The LORD as an active participant in the lives of His children, coming to their aid in the face of enemies who sought to do them harm.

“’Had it not been the LORD who was on our side,’ Let all Israel now say, ‘Had it not been the LORD who was on our side when men rose against us, then they would have swallowed us alive, when their anger was kindled against us.” Psalms 124:2

During the Civil War Abraham Lincoln was often asked if he thought God was on his side. His response was to remind people he wanted to make sure that he was on God’s side. Good answer.

Violent, angry opposition has the power to overwhelm the strongest believer. The Psalmist describes this as a man-made flood with the capacity to sweep over one’s soul and to swallow up one’s faith in God.

“When their anger was kindled against us; then the waters would have engulfed us, the stream would have swept over our soul; then the raging waters would have swept over our soul.” Vs. 3b-5

The Psalmist’s heart-felt joy at having survived these verbal attacks from vicious people could not be contained. He shouted with unbridled praise for all to hear.

“Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us to be torn by their teeth.” V. 6

Survival led to revival when the Psalmist realized not only had he escaped from the snare of the trapper, but the trap was destroyed. He didn’t take the credit for the victory. He gave all the glory to God. When leaders do this, people follow their lead.

NOTE TO SELF: The Psalmist got it right. Bad things do happen to good people. Never forget it! God takes sides to make things right. Prayer gives God the elbowroom for Him to do it in your life, and your nation. Praise honors Him when He does it. Do both. When He does it for you, don’t steal the credit. Give Him the glory. Prayer kills your desire to spike the ball in the end zone, and bows your head before your Creator.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Protector

"The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever." Psalms 121:7-8

Nothing in this world compares with the promises of God. They are secured by His strength, and sustained by His sovereign will.

With unbridled audacity, The Psalmist praises God's capacity to protect His children from "all evil." This is not an ambivalent platitude, but an unconditional declaration.

If the author had been anyone other than David, these words might be considered delusional pap, motivational mumbo jumbo or at best ministerial license. They are the truth, "from this time forth and forever."

David knew what it was like to be in harm's way, from man and beast. He had not seen all the evil in the world, but all the evil he had seen didn't blind him from seeing God's hand of protection from "all evil."

David's vision always improved when he "inquired of the LORD" before, during and after fighting with evil. Yours will too. Rushing in where angel's fear to tread does not feed your faith. It only intensifies your fear. When David's heart started drifting from God, he stopped inquiring of God. It never ended well for him. Don't expect it to end well for you.

David's was not a man of peace. His life had been filled with the war between good and evil. Sometimes the battle came at him with the face of a friend or one of his family members. Sometimes he had to face down entire armies.

David's greatest conflicts would always be waged on the battlefield of his heart. This is where the enemy is most subtle, and you are the most vulnerable. Protect your heart. Place it in God's hands and stay by His side.

Warning: When you lose your heart for prayer, it is flashing light on the dashboard of your life that you are losing your heart for God. Pray now or pay later.

Evil is relentless, but not limitless. All evil is designed and driven by an ancient enemy. God knows the tactics, resources, and the limits of this enemy. Your fear magnifies the enemy's strength. Your faith shrinks its power over you. Prayer starves your fear and feeds your faith.

Running from God and facing evil in your own strength is a recipe for disaster. Prayer turns retreating warriors into trusting worshipers. This song of praise declares the hedge of protection God's character provides for His sheep. Stop watching the enemy. Maintain eye contact with The Protector.

Prayer is not a plastic pocket protector that you place over your heart to guard you from "all evil." It is not symbolic or optional. It is essential, intimate and intense communication with The Protector. In the face of "all evil," seek His face. Pray early and often. The battle is the Lord's, but prayer enables you to see Him at work on your behalf dealing with "all evil."

David's battle scars were a road map to God. They reminded him that the safest place in the world was under the protective, shepherding hand of God. Sheep wander. Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice." When you face evil, listen to Jesus. He will always call you to prayer.

NOTE TO SELF: Don't be deceived. God's protection from "all evil" does not offer you an immunization from evil. It is a reminder of the offer of His protection in the battle against evil. God intends for you to confront evil. When you walk by His side, you can expect a fight!

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Help

"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains, from where shall my help come? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber." Psalms 121:1-3

In August of 1973, after three days of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, I wrote this Scripture reference in a book at the summit of the mountain. I was at the highest point on the continent of Africa, and what I saw was an unforgettable scene.

The view from 19,800 ft. high Uhuru Peak was spectacular. The equatorial sun was brilliantly reflected off of the wall of the glacier, and the bright blue sky kissed the pure white clouds that surrounded the summit of the mountain. I had never seen anything like it, and words still fail me to describe it adequately.

Squinting, shivering, scribbling, and fresh from the climb, I knew the mountain was not my friend. It had resisted me, but God had assisted me every step along the way. He still does.

In short order, the three day ascent turned into a swift, two day descent. Every mountain climber knows the highest peak is only part of the journey, not the final destination. Returning alive is the real goal. The round trip climb was 85 miles long. My plans included getting safely back home.

The Psalmist sought more than a summit. He sought God. From mountain high and valley low, David had learned to trust in the rock solid integrity of these words, "My help comes from the LORD."

In his finest hours, David's life revealed a sense of direction that came from his personal intimacy with God. David was devoted to his Savior, not a religious system. Scripture repeatedly describes this intimacy with the words, "David inquired of the LORD."

When David prayed, he asked and received God's direction, protection and correction for the journey. When David was praying, his foot wasn't slipping. When David stopped praying, he started straying. Even a man after God's own heart is not immune from a heart attack.

David reached great heights, but lost sight of his goal. When he became breathless from the climb, he became prayerless at the summit. This set him up for a fall. David's prayerlessness was a sign of his pridefulness. It always is.

NOTE TO SELF: Protect your heart from busy-ness. It leads to barrenness. Your enemy is determined to see you slip and fall. God promises to be your help in time of need. Never confuse climbing higher for God with staying closer to God. The mountain is not your friend. God is. Enjoy the view of God's world, but never try to make it your own. Ask Him for the help you need. Find joy in the journey. It doesn't end until you are safe at home. Don't stay up all night worrying about your next step. Prayer enables you to find rest in His Presence. God never sleeps, so you don't have to stay up all night. Ask Him for help.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Conflict

"Too long has my soul had its dwelling with those who hate peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war." Psalms 120:6-7

David's song does not reveal a man who rejoiced in pain. It shows us a man who complained about it. The song did not call hurting people to a new level of endurance against the treachery of man. It introduces us to David's new level of reliance upon the love of The Father.

God, The Father not only heard the cry of David. He answered it. Still, David found himself surrounded by sworn enemies who carried a smoldering hatred for him and everything he believed. Being at peace with God only made David's enemies hate him all the more. It was exhausting and demoralizing. War always is.

Those who hate peace understand the nature of The Conflict. They intend to exert their will over those who don't. The Conflict between good and evil is never about framing the debate. It is about annihilating the truth.

Remember this. Evil isn't interested in coexisting with good. Those who hate peace don't fight to win a political argument or to make new friends. They are intent on winning a war. This war is spiritual, not mythical. and it is very real.

When David found himself surrounded by enemies, he did not run from the fight. He ran to God. The wise warrior always will. This is how spiritual wars are won. They require men and women of God who are not ashamed to call on God for help. They are not trying to convince God to get on their side. They are already convicted of their need to get on God's side. This is where the battle is won.

Recently, Sen. Ted Cruz was quoted accurately by the press and then chastised by them for what he said. As my friend, Cong. Bob McEwen says, "This only happens,..EVERY TIME."

The Senator called for his volunteers assisting him with his Presidential campaign to, "put on the full armor of God." (Ephesians 6:11)

The Senator was quoting a passage of Scripture that outlines The Conflict that rages in this world. The fact that his statement alarmed the media elite says more about their allegiance than their ignorance. They were threatened by these words for good reason. Although the battle is not against flesh and blood, it is against an ancient enemy. Many in the mainstream media serve as hand-puppets of an evil power they do not understand. They may not believe in it, but they represent it, and they serve it nonetheless.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12

The Senator is right. There is armor for The Conflict and the enemy fears it. That is why the enemy will go to great lengths to try to intimidate you into setting it aside. The enemy marginalizes the armor, not by attacking it, but by ridiculing it.

Late night talk show hosts, and political pundits are masters at using this technique. It is not new, just effective. It started when God's Word was first questioned by the Bible's earliest recorded voice of evil. "Yea, hath God said?" Translation: You really believe this stuff?

Don't be deceived. Be informed, forewarned and armed. Though the enemy hates it, you need this armor. The armor is no laughing matter. Don't be shamed into setting it aside, or removing it from the public square. It is your only hope.

The armor listed is primarily defensive, but there is one offensive weapon in the arsenal. It is "the sword of The Spirit which is the word of God." (Ephesians 6:17)

This may explain why the Word of God is so offensive. It is designed to defend and to offend. Know wonder the enemy hates it and wants it to be removed from The Conflict. 

The relentless efforts made in this nation to expunge the Word of God from the public square have resulted in its removal from history books, government buildings, schools, and in some cases even the pulpits of America. This is not a conspiracy hatched by a brigade wearing tin foil hats. It is a battle strategy of a relentless enemy seeking to steal, and destroy all that God values.

In Psalms 120 David cries out for peace. Most people do. When he tried to make peace with his enemies they saw it as a sign of weakness in David, not as a sign of strength. His enemies only turned up the heat on their hatred, and intensified their attack on him. Learn from this. Make peace with God, not the enemy.

Psalms 120 is the first of 15 Psalms of Ascents once sung along the way by the people of Israel, as they made their way up to The Temple Mount to worship God. It begins with David's cry for help, and God's immediate response to his pain. It ends with David at peace with God, but still at war with his enemies. Don't let that discourage you. Though a battle may rage around you, be at peace with God.

NOTE TO SELF: The closer you draw to God, the more visible you become. God's doesn't call you to hide in the tall grass in fear of the enemy. He calls you to the battle line to fight the enemy. Make no mistake about it. The battle is the Lord's, not yours, but prayer calls you to His side. Prayer provides you with the courage to stand in the armor of God while the whole world is trying to get you to lay it aside. Praying in the name of Jesus strikes fear in the heart of the enemy camp, and releases God's peace in your heart in the midst of the war.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Song

"In my trouble I cried to the Lord, and He answered me. Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue." Psalms 120: 1-2

The Psalms of Ascents, 120-134, are sometimes called The Songs of Degrees. Psalms 120 is the first of four of these 15 songs penned by David. It is a powerful, personal expression of the impact lying lips had on the soul of a man who is described in Scripture as a man after God's own heart.

There are seven things on God's hate list, and among them is a lying tongue. Those who have a heart for God will share His hatred for lying. They will never make excuses for it in themselves or in others.

"There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:...haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood." Proverbs 6:16-17

David's transparency in the Psalms is so vivid. There are times I want to shout, "Whoa, son, TMI." In this case he describes trouble that stabs his heart with so much pain that he can only cry out like a wounded beast, "Deliver my soul."

Before David could put words to his cry, God answered him. The word is used in the Old Testament to describe an immediate response. It reveals God's heart is moved by the cries of His children. The Father is the original "first responder." When the fiery darts of the evil one hit the hearts of His children, He responds to the evidence of their pain, not the eloquence of their words.

The ancient root of this word for answer reveals it comes from a word used to describe a song. God receives your cry of pain as a prayer and He responds with a song of comfort. Every parent knows the power a soft, soothing song has to calm a child's fears. God, The Father inclines His ear to hear the cries of His children, and He soothes their broken hearts with a song of comfort.

Perhaps the soul of man is best described by a simple statement in the book of Genesis, "the breath of life." The soul of man fully expresses the character of The Father, when His children live only to love what God loves, and to hate what God hates.

"Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." Genesis 2:7

David's pain inflicted by those who lied about him was so great that it made his enemies appear close and His God seem far away. Being falsely accused left him feeling surrounded by barbarous people in the north, and his Arab enemies in the south. He hadn't moved an inch, but his heart was on the run.

Anyone who has ever experienced a panic attack knows what David was going through. He was out of breath, and hadn't taken a step. The enemy has the capacity to chase you, and leave you breathless with fear. In the New Testament he is called, "The Accuser." He doesn't live to be right. He exists to accuse you of being wrong. Don't believe a word that comes out of his mouth, or the lips of the hand-puppets he controls to lie about you.

NOTE TO SELF: Lying lips are a permanent part of the landscape of a fallen world. Remember the words of David, "He answered me." God will answer your prayer too. Are you ready for your soul to be soothed by His song?

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!