I am writing this as I sit on a reclining chair. I am wearing a pair of soft sweatpants with a cozy, oversized t-shirt. I am in complete comfort. To be honest, I am dreading having to get up in a little while to change my laundry over. I would like to just take a nap.
In our comfort, we often forget or minimize the calling of the cross. Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20:
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
We have been crucified with Christ. We are to live like Christ because our flesh, our sin nature, is dead. Christ Himself lives through us. How are we to live that way? If we go to the cross, we see what a cross-life looks like practically on earth.
Picture the cross from the viewpoint of Jesus. It is from His position on the cross, we discover our position of living from the cross. Look at the crowds surrounding the cross. See the people around Him and you will see how to minister to those around you as well.
1. Forgave the crowd
Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. (Luke 23: 32-34)
Jesus forgave everyone. He is experiencing the greatest injustice in history as well as suffering horrifically on a cross as the wrath of God was poured out on Him on our behalf. Yet, He forgave all of those who did this to Him. We are to forgive ALL. It does not matter what they have done or not done. The cross first and foremost represents forgiveness. To live the cross life, we must forgive others.
2. Formed a new family
Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. (John 19:25-27)
Jesus did not abandon His mother. Instead, He gave her to the care of a disciple named John. We, too, are to form new family relations. This is not a novel concept. It is discussed in the Old Testament. We find it in Psalm 68:6:
God sets the lonely in families…
The cross-life means no one is left out. Purposeful action is taken to ensure that everyone has a place, everyone knows they are loved, everyone has meaningful relationships and connections. We are to diligently seek out those on the outskirts and provide a safe place for them to be cared for.
3. Found the lost
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43)
Even in the last moments of Jesus, He was still reaching others with eternal life. This thief would have been a horrific criminal to receive the death sentence of crucifixion. Yet, even this thief is offered the gift of salvation. We are to seek those who are lost, who do not know Jesus, and let them know that they, too, can be with Him forever. The cross forgives all their sin, no matter what they have done.
4. Forsaken by God
About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). (Matthew 27:46)
Jesus is quoting the first part of Psalm 22. This psalm begins with loss but ends with triumph.
Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it! (Psalm 22:30-31)
When quoting the first part of the psalm in this time meant you were referring to the entire psalm. Jesus knew the time of being forsaken was not the final word. There are times we will feel forsaken, have unanswered questions, ask God “why”. Even in these times, we must keep an eternal perspective just as Jesus did on the cross. The present might seem like loss and pain, but God has promised to work it for good and for us to experience victory with Him.
5. Felt needs
Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. (John 19:28-29)
The cross-life is not about being superhuman. We need to express our needs and have our needs met so that we can accomplish what God is doing. Jesus needed something to drink so that He could then in turn declare the victory of God!
6. Finished God’s purpose
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30)
Jesus did not accomplish a few things, but all the things that God had ordained for Him to do. The cry of “It is finished” is a testimony of completing it all. The work was done on earth. Jesus saved mankind. He finished His purpose. The cross-life calls us to finish what we were created to do as well.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:20)
7. Focused on the Father
Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. (Luke 23:46)
To His dying breath, Jesus was focused on the Father. He trusted the Father and committed Himself to the Lord. Jesus came to reveal the Father to us. We are to be in the same relationship with the Father, trusting and committing ourselves to Him daily in every situation.
Every moment is an opportunity to choose to be comfortable or to take up the cross.
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)
It may be time to get out of the spiritual recliner of life and position ourselves at the cross. We are not to be in the crowd as spectators looking on, but we are to be seeing people and situations from the perspective of Jesus. What He did there is an example of what He wants us to do daily. The cross-life is Jesus ministering through us to those around us. Let’s get up from the recliner, pick up the cross, and follow Him.
I was walking along the beach when I saw some fishermen ahead. I did not want to walk in front of their lines so I strolled up the beach behind them. I realized that while the fishermen were near their fishing poles, two young children played further up on the beach. I would have to walk in between the two groups to get by. The children looked young, around two or three years old. As soon as they saw me walk in between the space between their parents and them, I could see the panic come into their eyes. I tried to smile but the fear had already overtaken them, a stranger was closer than their mom and dad. One toddler looked sideways down at the beach, so that he could not see me. I think he figured if he could not see me, then I could not see him. The other toddler had the same idea but employed a bit more of a dramatic approach. He threw himself headlong into the sand to “hide” until I passed by.
Both of those little children felt that they had to take care of themselves. Even though their parents were nearby, neither one cried out for help. They did not think their mom and dad had the situation under control or they would not have come up with their own desperate, even messy, attempts to protect themselves.
I am too often like those toddlers. My heavenly Father is nearby, yet I come up with my own ways and ideas to “handle” the situation. Sometimes, I avoid the circumstances, thinking time will help but instead the situation spirals further out of control. Other times, I “dive in”, trying desperately to fix my circumstances, only to create a bigger mess. It feels so difficult to continue to trust when a painful situation arises that seems to come between God and me and when He does not seem near to me.
We often read the verse “Be still, and know that I am God…” (Psalm 46:10a) and think of it as a sweet little verse. I picture soft green hills, a brilliant blue sky, puffy white clouds which roll on by as I sit and reflect on God. Yet, if you study the context of this psalm, it is anything but a peaceful scene.
God is our refuge and strength, an every-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, thought the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. (Psalm 46:1-3)
That sounds like major turmoil. This entails catastrophic events. It is not a peaceful, green meadow but earthquakes, tsunamis, destruction, death. Further we read of more difficult situations:
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; He lifts His voice, the earth melts. (Psalm 46:6)
Here is mentioned wars, economic collapse, panic, chaos, instability, complete loss. This is utter calamity! How do we be still when everything around us is falling apart?
God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day…The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Psalm 46: 5, 7)
We must focus on the truth of what God has promised us. He promises us that He is with us, will sustains us, will help us, and will protects us. “But,” you may say, “my world is falling apart!” Yes, it is. I know because mine is, too. However, God is not falling apart. This is not a denial of our reality. This is knowing the reality of our situation but ultimately trusting the reality of who God is and His heart towards us, even when He seems far away.
Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations He has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields with fire. (Psalm 46:9-10)
God will have the final say. He reigns over the earth. Review the victories of the Bible, remember the past victories in your own life. God will be victorious again. The weapons of the enemy against you shall be destroyed. After all this destruction, all this chaos and confusion, that is when God gives us this command:
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God…” (Psalm 46:10a)
Be still. Yes, there is turmoil and things are not as planned, but God is still on His throne. He is the King. He rules over your situation. Do not hide from the difficulties, do not try to attempt to create your own solution, do not stay away from Him in your pain and fear. Instead, settle down. The chaos around you does not have to enter you. Instead, you focus on the truth that God is God over a messy, violent, broken earth. And His victory in the end is guaranteed.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)
God will be exalted over every nation- that means over every family, over every economy, over every government, over every system. God will be exalted in the earth- over every natural disaster and over every loss. God will be exalted, set up over, reigning over it all. Whatever situation you are facing, God will be over those circumstances. That is why you focus on God being God. His reign in heaven will be evident fully one day on earth.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. (Psalm 46:4)
The dwelling place of God is joyful and refreshing. God knows the messiness of earth. That is why He sent His Son to live and then die a horrific death on a cross to open the way for our eternity in heaven. The trials and tribulations on earth will fade away as we dwell forever in the victory of God over pain, destruction, grief, loss, and death.
While we may not know how our situations will specifically turn out, or when things will change; we do know that in the end we will dwell with God in joy forever. We do not have to hide from the painful situations or try to fix them ourselves but instead look to our Heavenly Father to care for us, to fight for us, to help us during our difficult time.
In this truth, we can be still and know that He is God. We do not have to panic, hide, or throw ourselves into the sand. Instead, we can be at peace to know that God is for us, He is with in every situation, and in the end, victory is guaranteed! Be still and know that He is God!
“It is the people of God who can truly shape a nation. Many look to great leaders or powerful governments to shape a nation. But most likely, leaders and governments will not restore a nation once it is on the downward slide. While leaders and governments can influence a nation, there is no group of people who can determine the coming years of a nation like God’s people.”
Henry Blackaby
First of all, I do think politics are important. Our nation was built on a democratic system of checks and balances. It’s not a perfect system, but I believe it’s the best system. I also believe that as Christians we have a responsibility to vote. We should vote for candidates that best represent Biblical values. But, this is where I need to digress a bit. What I don’t believe in is an elected official that will “save” the country. What I think everyone can agree on is that America is divided. Not just now, but at least for the last few decades. It’s almost a 50/50 divide. Much of that stems from a false believe that one of the major political parties will be the answer, or that candidate “x” will be the one that finally puts things back together. From a psychology level I get it. Everyone likes to believe in something. Hope is needed. But, as Christians, we should feel a bigger calling. I like the way that Blackaby worded it: A leader can “influence”, but Christians can “determine” the fate of the nation. It’s more grass roots. It’s deeper and more personal. It’s revival and discipleship. Christians are we determined to make this nation great again? If so, are we depending on those we elect or are we rolling up our sleeves and doing what we can? Once again, I believe in our system, and I think it has it’s place. But, the fate of our nation rest on us.
My husband, Kevin, is a football fan of the University of Georgia since he is an alumni from that college. I, on the other hand, prefer a book to watching sports. However, we went to see an Auburn versus Georgia game. In my attempt to join his fun, I wore a Georgia Bulldogs sweatshirt so I looked the part of a dedicated fan. Quickly, though, I proved myself to be anything but a Georgia Bulldog!
Auburn University hosted the game. A team of security from the school watched us go through the metal detectors and checked all of our bags. One of the security team members looked at me and quietly said, “Woof, Woof.”
I stared at him momentarily before I said, “Excuse me?”
He repeated his statement. “Woof, Woof.”
I quickly walked away and went straight to my husband and exclaimed, “That man over there needs help. Something is wrong. He just barked at me!”
Kevin laughed and said, “That was to let you know that he is a Georgia fan!”
Thoughts of the man being demon-possessed faded with the ridiculous thought of what a Georgia fan does. “You guys bark at each other?”
“We’re the Bulldogs!” Kevin confidently replied.
Once again, I reminded him that I picked my college based on education not sports! I could not believe that adults bark to say, “I am one of the club!” My lack of barking knowledge proved that I did not belong to the group anyway. I watched the game, I cheered (mostly) at the right times, but my heart never changed to become a Georgia fan. (And I did not bark at anyone either.) I was “in” the game, but I was not “of” the game.
Jesus understood being in something but not of something. In the final hours before His crucifixion, he prayed for His disciples. We find this powerful prayer in the book of John. One section of the word discusses the dual nature of the status of the believer. We find this in John 15:15-17.
My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
Believers in Jesus are in the world, but not of the world. We live day by day surrounded by the world and its systems but the systems are not within us. We are in the world, but we “are not of the world”. The reason we are not is because we are in Jesus and He was not of this world. Jesus came down from His heavenly kingdom with the intention to expand that kingdom on earth. We are to follow His example and push forth the heavenly kingdom. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He showed them to request the advancement of God’s kingdom on earth in Matthew 5:9-10.
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.”
It is about God’s kingdom, His will and ways, going forth on the earth. Although we live in the world, we are to be advancing the kingdom of God. We are not to be furthering the ways of the world in our lives, our homes, our churches, our communities. Instead, we are to be pushing forward the kingdom of God in every aspect of our lives.
How do we advance the kingdom of God instead of the world? By knowing and applying truth. Jesus knew we needed truth to be transformed.
“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”
The Word of God is true. We are changed by the Word of God as we align our lives to His standard set forth in the Word. Our lives are now not being molded by the world, but instead are being changed by truth. We are following the will of God set forth perfectly in heaven and living out that will here on earth. While the world bombards us with its ways of thinking and doing, we are making decisions in accordance with truth, in accordance with Jesus for He is truth as He stated to His disciples in John 14:6.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus is truth. We learn and then follow truth. Just as He was not of the world, we are not of the world as we live out the kingdom ways of God. Yet, since we are in this world but not of it, we are pushing back the world and setting up space for the Kingdom of God to go forward in our lives and the lives of others. This is why we are not taken out of the world immediately when we become believers in Jesus. Our staying transforms the world. Jesus came to earth to impact lives, so being in the world brought salvation to the world. In our world, in our own places of influence, we are called to be in the world for the purpose of bringing the kingdom of God to the world but not being of the world, leaving us as the ones pushing forward the ways of God and not being conformed to the world’s ways. This is succinctly stated in Romans 12:2.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
We are transformed by truth. The truth sets us up to live out God’s will for our lives. His will is for the kingdom of God to advance in and through us. That is why Jesus prayed that His disciples would be shielded from the enemy.
“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”
The world’s systems are the kingdom of the devil. The enemy does not want God’s kingdom advancing. Yet, we are in the world to advance the kingdom of God. Jesus Himself prays for us to be protected from the enemy. We are not of the enemy’s camp, not of the world, but we are in this world advancing God’s kingdom through truth.
Live as ones in the world but not of the world by knowing and living truth which advances God’s will, God’s kingdom. Do so confidently for Jesus prays for you to be protected from the evil one. Since Jesus prays for us, we know the victory is ours!
By the way, Georgia won the game that night! Woof, Woof!
My husband Kevin and I went to watch our friends’ sons play a soccer game. At the end of the match, I went up to one of the teenagers and congratulated him. He asked me why, so I confidently told him, “Because you won the game.”
His response shocked me, “Ms. Shannon, we lost.” As a competitor it would already be difficult to lose a game, however, my comment only made the matter much worse. Evidently, I was the only person in that crowd who did not know about the team’s loss. Unfortunately, my husband could not rescue me in time before I made my blunder. Kevin saw the opponent’s goals because he paid attention to the game.
How did I miss the goals the other team scored? For one, the opponent’s goalie distracted me. He wore a soccer uniform the color of Pepto Bismol, bright pink from head to toe. Questions raced through my mind. Where do you find knee socks that color pink? Does that uniform glow in the dark? Did he know it would be that shade of pink or did he order it on-line and it seemed a bit more subdued? Beyond pondering soccer uniforms, I chatted quite a bit with parents in the crowd. Instead of fully watching the game before me, I allowed conversations to distract me. Lastly, I did not engage with the events on the soccer field because every little thing lately has been reminding me of a very difficult situation in my own life. My thoughts have been consumed by my own personal pain and loss, instead of being fully present in the moment and seeing what others before me are experiencing.
It is easy to be distracted in life. We get caught up in our own thoughts, emotions, and agendas. However, this keeps us from seeing the possible moments of ministry to others. I went from cheering on students at a game, to making a defeat even more awkward afterwards. Unintentionally, my focus on my personal pain caused me to hurt another.
In the book of Genesis, we find another whose overwhelming pain caused heartache to others. Jacob felt distracted by his own pain, loss, and grief. Jacob fathered twelve sons but his favorite was son number eleven, Joseph. His older brothers felt extreme jealousy of Joseph so they sold him into slavery. Then they used false evidence of a bloody coat to convince Jacob that his precious son had died. Little did he know that through a series of events over the span of around twenty years, Joseph went from a lowly house slave to second in command of all of Egypt.
Jacob still resided in Canaan and during this time a terrible famine struck the land. Jacob sent his ten oldest sons to buy food in the land of Egypt, while keeping the youngest with him at home. The sons ended up in the presence of Joseph even though they did not know the identity of this royal official. Joseph, however, instantly recognized his brothers and asked questions about the family. The brothers told Joseph about their younger brother and father. In a desperate plan to see if his brothers had changed, Joseph imprisoned Simeon until all the brothers returned to Egypt. Nine of the brothers returned to Egypt. Sadly, Jacob in his grief and fear of losing another son did not let the brothers return, thus leaving Simeon in jail. Months dragged by and eventually the time came for the purchase of more provisions for the family. Let’s pick up the story in Genesis 43.
Now the famine was still severe in the land. So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”
But Judah said to him, “The man warned us solemnly, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you. But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’”
Israel asked, “Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother?”
They replied, “The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. ‘Is your father still living?’ he asked us. ‘Do you have another brother?’ We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?”
Once again, Simeon is still in prison in Egypt! Jacob in his pain and distress is not paying attention to the pressing needs of others. He is focused only on his pain and his fear of more potential loss in the future. His delay caused an emergency situation for the rest of the family as well.
Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die.
Here is a matter of life and death, yet Jacob ignored the needs of everyone around him, as well as his son still in prison because of the grief in his heart. Eventually, he was forced to take action but he still focused on his personal pain, completely oblivious to those in desperate situations around him.
Take your brother also and go back to the man at once. And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.” So the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver, and Benjamin also. They hurried down to Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph.
Upon this second visit to Egypt, Joseph released Simeon from prison and revealed his true identity to his brothers. A family torn apart experienced a joyous reunion. All of this could have taken place earlier if only Jacob had chosen to respond to the needs of those around him instead of focusing solely on his own grief.
We all hurt. We all suffer terribly. We need to work through our pain, not deny or suppress it. However, sometimes helping others during our difficult times, can help us find restoration in our own hearts and lives. Jacob would have been reunited with Joseph earlier if he had chosen to look up from his own pain and took action to help others.
One of my favorite examples of someone who looked past their grief to minister to others would be Corrie Ten Boom. Her entire family died in Nazi concentration camps during World War II. Yet, after the war, she did not retreat into her own pain. Instead, she traveled throughout Europe promoting the gospel message, showing people how to accept and give God’s forgiveness. Thousands of lives were transformed by her story. She chose to focus on others, to see them healed and whole from their own tragic loss and pain, instead of wallowing in her own grief.
Lives are impacted by our response to pain, for the good or the bad. We can choose to look down at our own pain or to look up to minister to others. For me, it may be a small decision to fully pay attention to a soccer game, to think of those players out there and what they are doing instead of the painful thoughts bombarding my mind. Next time, I will hope for their win but if there is a loss, I will console the team! My response will match their need compared to showing an obvious deficit in my own heart. But to be completely honest, I still may be a little distracted by the pink goalie outfit!
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. These three are what we refer to as the “patriarchs of the faith”. God established His Holy nation of Israel through them. The foundations of the lineage of Jesus are traced back here as well. Jacob was the last of the three patriarchs. From him the twelve tribes of Israel are established.
The name Jacob means “deceiver”. Can you imagine naming your child that? In Biblical times names held great weight. A name was not just a name. A name was a revealer of character, of destiny, of prophecy. Jacob lived up to his name. For years Jacob was a deceiver. He tricked and bargained his way into every success he had. And it worked! Jacob manipulated his way into receiving the birthright and blessing from his father. This was more than just an inheritance, it was a promise of spiritual anointing. Jacob through his trickery received the mantle of the patriarchs. Jacob had run scams his whole life, and it helped him succeed.
But, this is where the story turns. God has allowed Jacob to receive the blessing. Jacob is now carrying the future of God’s people. Jacob is now firmly seated in the lineage of Jesus. But there’s a major problem. Jacob’s character did not line up with God’s standard.
Here’s a truth: Even when God gives a promise, character needs to handle it. God is not satisfied until we are ready for what He has prepared. The pathway to character development is brokenness. It’s not fun, it’s not easy. It’s painful and it often brings out the worst in us. But, brokenness is essential. Character matters! The character needs to match the assignment.
Here’s Jacob in need of some major correction. In Genesis 32 Jacob is running from his brother Esau. He had cheated Esau out of the birthright and blessing that should have been Esau’s because he was the oldest. Now, Jacob is fearful and is on the run. During his fleeing a truly life altering event happens. Jacob is left alone, and he wrestles with a “man” all night long. Later in the passage, it is revealed that this is no ordinary man. The Bible states in Genesis 32:28 that Jacob had wrestled with God himself. My guess is that at first Jacob may have thought this was Esau or one of his men that had finally caught up with Jacob. But, after several hours or wrestling it became apparent that this was no ordinary “man”.
A side note: Do we stand a chance in a wrestling match against God Himself? “In this corner, weighing in at 175 pounds (I wish) with an arm reach of 70 inches, and in this corner, the Creator of the Universe that has no weight, His reach is unlimited.” Yeah, not a fair fight right? But Jacob wrestles all night. What we need to understand is the fight extended because God was working. Jacob needed the struggle.
During the night of fighting, at some point the “man” touches Jacob’s hip socket and dislocates it. I’ve never broken a hip, but I’ve heard stories. I’m sure the pain was overwhelming. But, Jacob held on, he kept wrestling. When God is ready to shape a character, it can hurt for a while. It might even hurt a lot for a while. The old saying “no pain, no gain” is just as applicable in the spiritual realm. But, despite the pain, Jacob holds on. When the sun is coming up, the “man” was ready to end the night of fighting. But Jacob declares, “I will not let you go unless you bless me”. Yes! Jacob has made it to his point of revival. During the night Jacob had a realization that this was much bigger than a wrestling match. Jacob was fighting for his life, his future, his destiny. And, he knew he needed blessing.
For the first time, trickery wasn’t going to work, submission was. Jacob couldn’t manipulate his way out of this one. At this point, the “man” asks Jacob his name. They both knew his name, but it brought out a moment of confession. A concept I see here: We have to confess the past in order to step into the future blessing. After Jacob says “Jacob” (which once again means “deceiver”). After Jacob confesses, “I’m a deceiver, I have been all my life” … Then, the “man” says, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel”. The name Israel means, “One who struggles with God”. Jacob then asks the “man”, what is your name? The man simply says, “Why do you ask my name?”. Then he blessed Jacob (now Israel), and he disappeared.
On this night a major correction occurred. The deceiver transitioned to the receiver.
In life we don’t like pain. Pain hurts. To be clear, not all pain is from God. There are painful moments in life that are orchestrated by evil. There are painful moments in life that are simply the degradation of society and the yearning for the perfection of Heaven. But, it many instances, pain is coming from Heaven. God is allowing, and even causing pain for a greater purpose. I know that last sentence ruffles some theological feathers, but I believe it to be completely true. God allows and even causes pain for a greater purpose. When we face difficult days and obstacles I think we need to consider what is going on in the spiritual realm. God will often use things in the natural world to do supernatural things. The situation may seem “human”, but it’s actually “divine”. God can and does work through earthly circumstances. Here is the great news when pain comes: it means it is not too late. If God is allowing pain, He’s still working and refining. Think about surgery. If a doctor says, “no need to operate”, it means no hope is left. Surgery isn’t fun or easy, but it provides a way of recovery. God is a great surgeon. If he’s “operating” it means He is still working!
We don’t change our first names any longer, but we certainly can change our reputation. What is it that you have been known for? What trait is it that has defined who you are and how you operate? God is in the name changing and character correcting business. He took one of the “greats” in the Bible from a deceiver to a receiver. He can do that with each of us as well. Our job is to hold on until we have received that blessing. We hold on until all of the fight has left us. We hold on until we get to that point of submission. One last thought to ponder: Jacob’s most painful point was just before the breakthrough. Just before the blessing, he had the dislocated hip. Are you in a painful season now? Hold on! God has not forgotten you, God has not left you. Actually, God might just be about to bless you. The promise awaits!
This story is a synopsis of my life. Short blog post today. My life, my story, much like many of yours is messy. But, it’s full of hope and victory. Be blessed.
“It always startles me that the disciples never said to Jesus, “Lord, teach us to preach.” They heard the greatest sermon ever preached by the greatest man that ever lived, the Sermon on the Mount, and yet not one of them ever said, “Lord, teach me to preach.” They never said, “Lord, teach us to do miracles.” They did say, “Lord, teach us to pray.” And I’ll tell you, if there’s any prayer that needs to be prayed in the church of God today, as far as I’m concerned, it is, “Lord, teach us to pray.” – Leonard Ravenhill
Prayer is likely the most agreed upon spiritual discipline. You will not meet a believer anywhere that doesn’t believe in prayer. It crosses denominational lines. Everyone knows of prayer’s importance. But, do we REALLY believe in prayer? Before I’m considered a heretic, I think it’s a valid question. Do we really truly believe that we have a seat at the Holy of Holies and that the Creator of the Universe is listening to us and talking to us? Once again, I believe most Christians intellectually answer the question with an emphatic “yes”.
But here’s the million dollar question: Why don’t we do more of it? I mean, if we honestly believe in prayer, shouldn’t that be our ultimate pursuit. It was for Jesus! As Ravenhill stated in the quote, this was also the desire of the disciples. They could have asked for help in the miracles, healings, or preaching. But, no, they wanted to learn how to pray. “Lord, teach us to pray”. That was their desire.
I believe there are a multitude of reasons that we don’t pray more. If you’re still reading this blog, hang with me. This is not meant to be a feel guilty session. Not at all! Take this as an encouragement to seek the deeper things of the faith. Prayer is the secret, it’s the life-giving ingredient in the Christian life.
So, what are some of those oppositions to prayer?
Spiritual Warfare – Yes, it’s real. Yes, there are forces that we cannot see. Just as real as the device in your hand now, or the computer you are staring at, is the spiritual realm surrounding you. When you “get serious” about wanting to pray, you better believe there will be opposition. Have you ever sat down to pray or study your Bible, and then suddenly every single thing on your to-do list from the last decade comes back to you? It’s happened to me. Ever had a moment to yourself, then suddenly the phone rings? It’s happened to me. Yes, Spiritual Warfare is real. Here’s the answer: Pray anyway.
“It’s Boring” – no Christian is going to say this out loud. It sounds like heresy. But, we all know it’s been thought. The truth is, the sentiment has some merit. Why? Because some of our praying has been boring. Anyone reading this old enough to remember the old-school prayer meetings? The intention was good, but man, that was a long hour of listening to everyone’s ailments and then naming them out loud one by one. Oh, we mentioned some missionaries as well, but that was about it. To overcome “boring”, I think we need to be reminded of what prayer actually is. It’s not just a list of things we need done (though that’s not wrong to pray). But, it’s more. It’s having a seat at the table with God Himself. Prayer isn’t just petitions, prayer is relationship. It’s not just talking, it’s also listening.
Lack of Belief. This one needs to be said, because it’s unfortunately the case. Despite being talked about and promoted, at the deepest part of many Christians, there is a lack of belief in prayer. Once again, no Christian would admit this, but if we truly believed, wouldn’t we be doing more of it?
Busy Schedules. I get it, you get it. Life is busy. Deadlines, expectations, and unexpected crisis are a part of life. Could it be that distraction is still one of Satan’s greatest and most-used ploys? I believe so. A distracted Christian is a non-effective Christian. Ouch, that was strong! Our power, our effectiveness comes from our prayer life. The fruit we bear has a direct correlation to the amount of prayer we have.
Last Resort. Much like lack of belief is the thought of “well if all else fails, let’s pray”. NO! Pray first, pray last. Pray!
Prayer is without a doubt the most talked about discipline in Christianity, but in my opinion, likely the least practiced. Prayer is also I believe the single most important of all the spiritual disciplines. I know there may be some push back on that statement. I mean Bible reading is important as well right? Well yes, I won’t disagree. But, how deep is our understanding of the Word of God without prayer? Didn’t the Bible instruct us to ASK the Holy Spirit it to teach us? Once again, not picking a fight here, Bible Study is important, but so is prayer.
As a long time Christian, a long time church-goer, and someone that’s been in the ministry for 34 years now (geez I’m old) … I believe I still need to learn more about prayer. “Lord, teach me to pray”. I hope that is your heart cry as well. I want to end this blog post for those of you still reading with a statement that might ruffle a few feathers. It’s not meant to be controversial, but it is meant to be challenging. I really believe we have given way too much lip-service to prayer, and not enough actual prayer. We’ve modeled that in every area of Christianity. Prayer time in the home is relegated to a quickie before meals. For the super spiritual, there’s the night time prayers. But still, is that enough? In our services, we pray, but it’s in many cases the opening hello, and the closing good-bye. Can I remind us all that Jesus himself that my church is to be a “house of prayer”. He didn’t say cool music, deep preaching, fellowship, or anything else. Jesus said a “house of prayer”. Don’t worry, I’m not saying singing and preaching are bad. The Bible calls for that as well. But, shouldn’t prayer be given more than just at the maximum 5 minutes per service?
Here’s my line in the sand. By the way, many of these blog posts I’ve posted were written months ago, and scheduled for posting. Not this one. I’m typing this late on a Sunday night, and it’s posting on Monday morning. This is truly where I’m at in my walk right now. Going forward, my life and my ministry will be prayer centered and prayer focused. If God gives me another church position, it will be with prayer at the core. Staff meetings will be a lot of praying, and yes, still some planning. Services, will be preaching and singing, but a lot more praying. No matter what, my life is going to be a great deal more praying.
As the days get darker, and the times seem heavy, I encourage you to take this challenge as well. Call out to God with me, “Lord, teach us to pray”!
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”
Mark 1:35-37
I’ve probably read this verse or heard this verse hundreds of times. I’ve noticed and heard the “early morning, while it was still dark” part. I usually freeze after that though. Small confession: i haven’t done the early morning thing very often. Oh, I pray every morning. It’s typically something like, “Dear Lord please make this alarm clock shut up!”
But what if the “early” part isn’t the most important part? I think what comes next is the most challenging part. Solitary. Being alone is the challenge. Being alone to the point of “Everyone is looking for you.” We all have people that depend on us. We all have busy schedules. We all have responsibilities. We all have multiple devices that keep us connected. Do you ever have people say, “Everyone is looking for you.”? Are you ever completely disconnected?
In this world we live in, being disconnected does not come easy. Have you ever sat down to have a “moment”, and then suddenly you get the rapid fire texts? You know the person I’m talking about, it’s a sting of multiple texts in a row? Or, maybe you are 10 steps behind at work, all while trying to balance family. It’s hard to disconnect, but I submit it might be the most important of all spiritual disciplines. I know prayer is important, Bible study is important, worship, and church are important. No argument here. But, unless we are alone at some point, have we really made a connection with God? Jesus made “solitary” a priority, and He was the Son of God.
Here are a few practical tips I’ve picked up over the years:
IT CAN WAIT: Seriously, the rapid fire texter can wait. If it’s not an emergency, it can wait. If you always reply immediately, you will always have to reply immediately.
BOUNDARIES: If you’ve never heard this, it is OK to say no. As a matter of fact it’s required. If you let others suck your time and emotions and energy, you’ll be left with nothing. Take time for yourself.
BE INTENTIONAL: Make solitary an intentional act. Tell the people you love that you need the time. They should understand. Plus, it’ll make you stronger and healthier.
BE CREATIVE: I get it, life happens. Sometimes days and weeks and months are crazy. Do you have a little time in the car alone? Use that time wisely. Is it just before everyone wakes? Is it late at night? Creatively find alone times.
PRIORITIZE THE IMPORTANT: most of us have long “to do” lists. That’s fine, that’s normal. But, you alone can set the priorities on this list. Make yourself and alone time a top priority.
TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR SCHEDULE: If you don’t control your schedule, someone else will. If you’re already way behind, and you allow more and more assignments and responsibilities to pile on, you will never catch up. Once again “boundaries”.
DON’T FEEL GUILTY: This one needs to be said especially to the “people pleasers”. You have permission to take time for yourself. You don’t ALWAYS have to be there for everyone. As a matter of fact, if you don’t take time, you will burn out. You will stress out. Taking alone time is healthy and necessary, don’t feel guilty.
It’s OK to be disconnected. We don’t have to be available all the time. Even Jesus disconnected from the people. If that means hiding, then so be it. If that means turning off all devices, then so be it. Take solitary time to connect with God.
“A religion, even popular Christianity, could enjoy a boom altogether divorced from the transforming power of the Holy Spirit and so leave the church of the next generation worse off than it would have been if the boom had never occurred. I believe that the imperative need of the day is not simply revival, but a radical reformation that will go to the root of our moral and spiritual maladies and deal with causes rather than with consequences, with the disease rather than with symptoms.”
A.W. Tozer
This A.W. Tozer quote is from 1959, but it’s even more relevant today. Church we don’t need “old-time religion”. We need radical reformation! What does this mean? What does this look like? I believe Christianity in America for many years has been focused on the “consequences” and the “symptoms” as Tozer called them… Even in my own church background we have often focused on righteous living, on the externals of the faith… we fix the visible sins and we ACT like people of God. The problem is that this is completely external. As a group of people (a church) begin to do this, it becomes the norm. It then becomes “group think”. We slowly develop a false theology and a false thinking. We equate our righteous living to a movement of God, when in actuality, it is just our own attempts to live right. This is not far from the lives the Pharisees lived. We give them such a bad name in sermons, but in actuality the Pharisees were very “righteous” guys. They lived outwardly very devout lives. Why do we condemn them? Because they were missing the point. That is what my fear is for the American church. The “disease” that Tozer mentions is us I believe. It’s not unrighteous living, it might even be righteous living. It is us depending on our own abilities rather than a complete transforming work by the Spirit of God. So, what am I looking to happen? I’m not sure exactly to be honest.. but it involves the word “more”… I just hear stories of supernatural movements of God happening all around the world… things that cannot be explained any other way than simply saying “God did this”… That is what I’m looking for! How do I (we) get there? I think we have to start with a discontent with status quo Christianity first.. We have to not settle for simple religion… Just because it has been done this way for the last however many years, and just because it is the norm all around us, doesn’t necessarily make it authentic…. More – that’s what I’m looking for!
