Theology Without Meaning

There are two languages through which our theology can be spoken, and one root language.

We can speak through our actions and by our fruit (Ever notice this is singular?  One fruit, many manifestations.), but the root must be love.

With all that we know, and all that we've disciplined ourselves to practice in our evaluations of people or our behavior or our goals or our claims to what is right, if our theology - what we actually believe about God - is not communicated in our actions and with corresponding fruit in love, our theology has no meaning.

Q4U:  What can you do - today - to clearly communicate what you believe about God through your actions and by your fruit?

What Does Grant Desme Have to Do with You?

Maybe you don't know who Grant Desme is.  I didn't.

Apparently, he was a big-time, promising, up-and-coming baseball player who just announced he's leaving baseball to go into ministry.  So why am I writing about sports the day after I wrote about a politician?  And what does Grant Desme (or Scott Brown) have to do with you?  Or me?

What Does Scott Brown Have to Do with You?

It's an unusual blog title for me but, no matter what your political views, you can't escape the drama of this recent event.

It's newsy because it effects so many people and carries the David/Goliath underdog element.  But what if it effected less people?  How would that be different to Scott?  Or you?  I'm getting to my point...

Secrets 2 - repost

I'm not sure when or from whom we learned this exercise, and it has become so much a part of our lives that it doesn't seem to be so intentional anymore as automatic.

That's ironic because the whole intent is to avoid the automatic, the status quo, the ordinary, and the mundane.

We call it "STOP. NOTICE. AND DECIDE."

We invoke this occasionally to make sure that our lives haven't found a rut. That we are actively and in a meaningful way pursuing the plan of God for our lives. I love the quote, "A rut is just a grave with both ends kicked out of it." It speaks for itself. We don't want to be "the walking dead".

So first, we STOP.
In the busy-ness, crowds, and noise of our culture we can forget to just take a break. A day or two, or maybe an afternoon or an hour together when we purposely unplug and clear out the cobwebs. We position ourselves to hear each other and to hear the voice of God through each other.

And then NOTICE.
We turn that break into something more than an escape. We turn it into an intentional and fearless review of what we are doing. Are we in God's plan? Is there eternal significance to what we are putting our hands to? Is it good for God? For people? For our family? For our community?

And then DECIDE.
This is where the rubber meets the road. What will we do with what we have just heard and noticed? This is the gutsy, full-on, step-up-to-the-plate part of living that makes it really living.

We've closed businesses, fed the homeless, started new ministry tracks, opened businesses, bought airline tickets, fostered the abused, enrolled in universities, sold houses, had children, retired, re-hired, bought houses, changed careers and a whole lot more out of these "STOP. NOTICE. AND DECIDE." moments.

I don't have specific scripture for this, but I can tell you that the fruit has been lasting. And the adventures with God have been thrilling, fostering a relationship with Him that is alive, relevant, and head-over-heels full of love.

As He Was, Pt. 3 - The Bridge

"On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, 'Let us cross over to the other side.' Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him."
Mark 4:35-36

I am focusing on the words, "...as He was" from this passage recognizing that, in order to represent Him to the world, we must understand "how He was".

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Jesus straddled the 2 covenants, which is why He was constantly challenging their way of thinking. If you can challenge a way of thinking you can open a mind.

Too often we are caught in our own doctrine or ways of thinking. Religion vaccinates us (indoctrinates us) against the truth. We stop thinking. When the truth finally invades us, we reject it like an infection. How many times did someone preach to you before you finally HEARD the truth? Your mind had to be opened.

Jesus would say, “You heard it THIS way, but I say it’s THIS way” over and over, trying to bridge them to the new covenant, using His time here, in the flesh, to introduce them (and us!) to a new way of thinking that would be necessary in order for us to represent Him after He left. He came to break us from our old way of thinking.

They looked to an Old Testament God Who was distant and only reachable through a sacrifice and a priest. Jesus changed that. He makes God available to ANY who believe.

They tried to convince Jesus that He wasn’t able to do what He said He could do, but He proved them wrong. “The man who was demon-possessed is now sitting and in his right mind”. Prove them wrong! Don’t let anyone put you down. You’re a believer! You are God’s best!

You’ll always be opposed when you seek to bring the truth. A storm arose when He got in the vessel to go to the other side

We’ve got to take Him to the world “as He is”.

The power is in the declaration of the Good News!

Preach the Gospel and see people saved.

Preach the Gospel and see people set free.

Preach the Gospel and see people healed.

Preach the Gospel and see people loved.

Preach the Gospel and see people empowered.

Preach the Gospel and see people lifted up.

Preach the Gospel and see people encouraged to love and move in His power to take this Gospel – this Good News – to the world!

Cross over out of an Old Testament model into the New Testament miracle life. Take it to the crazy people – wherever you go.

This is a new life. A new day. You can carry Him as He is.

As He Was, Pt. 2 - The Mandate

"On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, 'Let us cross over to the other side.' Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him."
Mark 4:35-36

I am focusing on the words, "...as He was" from this passage recognizing that, in order to represent Him to the world, we must understand "how He was".

Today we focus on His role in restoring our mandate.

God set us in His beautiful creation with a mandate. It is found in Genesis, Chapter 1:28 “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, subdue, and have dominion”. It was a mandate that expressed God’s heart in involving man in His conquest to fill the earth with His glory. God was counting on man to do his part. He trusted Adam to take the instruction he was given and to faithfully conduct himself.

Our authority to carry out this mandate was forfeited when, in the Garden, Adam submitted to the serpent ("You are slave to him whom you obey" - Romans 6:16).

The Old Testament laws were enacted to teach us about the need for redemption and to begin our way back to partnership with God. Blood became necessary. A precious and perfect sacrifice was necessary. One could only be made clean through an act or ritual conducted by a priest and a blood sacrifice declared to be perfect.

But the priests made it a business. They set themselves up to be the ones to benefit from the plan of God. THEY were the important ones. THEY were the holy ones.

Religion prospered. But the people lost sight of God. And, distant from their Creator, they lost sight of themselves and their purpose.

From Isaiah Chapter 1:

“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” says the LORD.
“I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle.
I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs or goats.
When you come to appear before Me, who has required this from your hand,
To trample My courts?
Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me.
The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies—
I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting.
Your New Moons and your appointed feast my soul hates;
They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them."

Thankfully, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). “God was manifested in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16). For 33 years He walked in the flesh as our example. And then He fulfilled His role as Redeemer - the Perfect Sacrifice, once and for all. His blood was shed to provide access to God for every Believer, not just the privileged.

As Redeemer He bought us back. As Our Example He showed us what God is like and what WE can be like.

Our mandate is restored as we re-engage in His purpose, understanding the weight of the matter that God has set upon us.

Jesus is our example. He shows us the way. What He did - AS HE WAS - we can do AS HE IS, because the same Spirit lives in us.

More tomorrow.

As He Was

"On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, 'Let us cross over to the other side.' Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him."
Mark 4: 35-36

This is a familiar account that shows the magnificent freeing power of Jesus. It can be read in full at Mark 4:35 - 5:20.

Why must we cross over? Because there are crazy people out there who are unable to free themselves from their bonds. Their behavior and their spiritual condition bind them to themselves.

We must cross over to the other side. What is on the other side for you? What person? What neighbor? What fellow worker? What family? What people? What nation?

And what will you bring with you?

From Mark chapter 4, verse 36: "They took Him along…as He was."

There is great confusion in the church world over “how Jesus was”.

In the 2,000 years since God was with us in Christ, religion has re-shaped His image.

It’s not a new strategy of the enemy. It’s straight from the Garden. If the enemy can get us to question what God has said or done (Genesis 3:1), he will be successful at compromising the truth in us. And compromised truth will only bring a compromised victory, which is what we have today. Sure we have had some success. We have vibrant music and meetings and great preaching. Beautiful buildings and TV shows and church programs. But it’s hard to accept this as the life for which Jesus died. I may be willing to give MY life for what we have in the church today, but I don’t think I would give my son’s life.

It is the same for God. I believe He envisions something more. And if we can find our way back to the Truth, we will finally be set free - and be alive enough to set others free.

If His seed in us is virtuous, the fruit is virtuous. And we will cross over our boundaries of religion and philosophy and man-made doctrine and see the demoniac set free. If we are going to do this, we must do as the disciples did in Mark, Chapter 4 and take Jesus along "…as He was”.

More on this tomorrow.

Do We Need the Holy Spirit?

"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:
for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak:
and he will shew you things to come.
He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
All things that the Father hath are mine:
therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you."
(John 16:13-15)

"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit..." (Acts 2:4).

Jesus taught us that the Holy Spirit would come and that he would glorify Jesus.

In the Book of Acts we see the day of Pentecost - and the promise is fulfilled.

The coming of the Holy Spirit is not celebrated as a "second-coming" of God in another form, but as the provision for our very present revelation of Christ.

The Holy Spirit did not come as a replacement for Christ, but as a Revealer of Christ - to us and through us. He came to show us that the same Spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead could live IN US! (Romans 8:11).

His coming established us as the place out of which God would operate. No longer in a Temple made of hands (Mark 14:18), or in a single flesh man, but in a many-membered Body (1 Corinthians 12:20).

If you are a member of the Body of Christ, by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8) you are a Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16) by whom Christ is revealed to and through you.

Yes. We need the Holy Spirit.

The Ministry of the Holy Spirit IN Us

We must take care not to reduce the ministry of the Holy Spirit only to speaking in other tongues. Or to experience the Holy Spirit as a distant dove that will occasionally light on us - if we pray really hard.

Jesus said of the Holy Spirit:

"It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away,
the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:
for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak:
and he will shew you things to come.
He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
All things that the Father hath are mine:
therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you."
(John 16:7b-15)

Jesus gave us commandments through the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:1-3).
We receive power through the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:7-9; Romans 15:19; Ephesians 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 1:5).
We understand things to come through the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:16; 4:25).
The Holy Spirit is witness to things with us (Acts 5:31-33; 15:28; Romans 9:1; Hebrews 2:4; 10:14; 1 John 5:6-8).
The Holy Spirit IN us validates us for service (Acts 6:3, 5; 18:25; 20:28; 1 Corinthians 2:4; 1 Corinthians 12:8-11; 2 Corinthians 1:22; 3:3; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13).
The Holy Spirit opens our eyes (Acts 7:55; 1 Corinthians 2:10; Ephesians 3:5).
The Holy Spirit speaks to us (Acts 8:29; 10:19; 11:12; 13:2; 16:6-8; 20:23; 21:4; 21:11; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 1 Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 3:7; Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; 14:13; 22:17).
The Holy Spirit translates us (Acts 8:39).
We are comforted by the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:31; Ephesians 1:19).
We are led by the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:4; Romans 8:1-9, 14, 26-27; Galatians 5:16, 18; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 6:18; Jude 1:20).
The Holy Spirit empowers us to love (Romans 5:5; 15:30; 2 Corinthians 6:6; Colossians 1:8).
The Holy Spirit carries righteousness, peace, hope, and joy (Romans 14:17; 15:13; Galatians 5:5, 22; 1 Thessalonians 1:6).
We are taught by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:13; Ephesians 4:30; Hebrews 9:8).
We are united in the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 13:14; Ephesians 2:18, 4:3-4).
The Holy Spirit frees us (2 Corinthians 3:17).
Our offerings are sanctified by the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:16).

The Holy Spirit will show us Christ (Romans 1:4).
We are sanctified/justified by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Timothy 3:16; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:2).
The Holy Spirit quickened the body of Christ (1 Peter 3:18).

The Old Testament prophets and Gospel-period believers experienced a Holy Spirit that was UPON, AROUND, or THROUGH them.

We, after the cross and Pentecost, experience a Holy Spirit that is IN us (Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; 2 Timothy 1:14; 1 John 3:24; 4:13).

The Holy Spirit doesn't seek glory, but points us to and reveals the ministry of Jesus IN us. And we will do greater things.

Prayer That Changes Things

Indeed, prayer has a powerful effect on how we carry out our lives. Jesus advised us to, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation" (Matthew 26:41), indicating that there is an effect that prayer has on our ability to stand strong in a contrary world. There is a direct and indirect influence on our conduct that comes through conversing with God on a regular basis.

But this profound influence on ourselves is not the only aim of prayer.

Prayer as a discipline, without the objectives of improving our fellowship with the Father and positioning ourselves to be His instruments in advancing the purposes of His Kingdom, would be a dry and selfish thing.

Praying regularly makes us ready to pray in an instant. The more we pray, in an ongoing way, the more we think to pray and the more we make ourselves available to draw on the spiritual reserve that has been laid up to bring about His will here on Earth ("After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven").

To "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Philippians 4:6) is the key. To train ourselves to be in an attitude of prayer at all times means we can invoke the very Presence of God in every situation.

Prayer that we "disappear into", as in a closet, becomes training for prayer that is "without ceasing". And this is relevant, productive prayer that makes us active in the spirit and agents of change in the natural.

On "Not Being Fed Meat"

Recently I heard two teachings from unrelated ministries that, at first glance, had nothing to do with each other. But when considering the picture as a whole, it was like superficially contrary verses that suddenly bring revelation when viewed in a proper Light.

One message had to do with a survey that concluded that the overwhelming number of people leaving a church are leaving because they claimed they were "not being fed enough meat".

The other message had to do with the will of the Father as our "meat".

There are many references to "meat" in the New Testament. Most are referencing meat that is consumed at a meal.

Other times it is a spiritual reference. Several by Paul (1 Corinthians 10:1-4; 1 Corinthians 3:1-2), by the writer of Hebrews (5:12-14), and several times by Jesus (John 4:30-34; 6:26-27).

I want to look at Jesus' use of the word in John 4:34:

"Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work."

When we are mature (read Paul's "meat" scriptures) we understand "meat" in the context that Jesus spoke of it. We change our expectation of a church providing a "meal" for us and we turn from wanting more and more in order to be satisfied to looking inward to discover what God is requiring of us. Then we go to work.

We don't leave the church, we leave our excuses.

That is where we are satisfied with mature food, by fulfilling His will for us.

If we want more meat, perhaps we should stop demanding more from a teaching or a Pastor or a conference, and we should commit ourselves to getting fed how Jesus got fed - by doing the will of God.

Boldness, Confidence, and Anointing

"...having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus..." (Hebrews 10:19).

"Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise..." (Hebrews 10:35-36).

The same Greek word, "parrhēsia", is translated into these two English words, "boldness" and "confidence".

This is one disadvantage with which we are left when reading the Bible in a translated language - which most of us must do!

When we link these two thoughts - Paul's encouragement to enter boldly and his counsel to retain confidence - we understand the power of our association with God.

When we can enter the Holiest boldly, we can walk in His will confident. Not in arrogance, but in awe.

Dr. TL Osborn once told me that what most of us call anointing in others is actually experience with and confidence in God. Once we have seen God do something, we recognize when He is about to do it again, and we help to facilitate the environment to produce the same result.

Our entering boldly helps to establish our affiliation (fellowship and experience) with Him. Our confident pursuit of His will positions us to receive the reward - the privilege of bringing Him glory.

Enter boldly and carry the confidence.

His Work, His Glory, Our Hands

What a privilege to be called into His service! It is still remarkable to me that God uses us for His purposes.

"Let Your work appear to Your servants,
And Your glory to their children.
And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands." (Psalm 90:16-17)

We are truly, as Dr. TL Osborn says, "partners with God in BIG KINGDOM BUSINESS".

But we must remember that it is His work, His glory, and our hands.

In our empowerment culture it seems that we can, at times, ask Him to put His hands to our work, instead of the opposite - as if we are owed His participation in what we are working on.

It is His work - and we participate with our hands. Then He establishes the work as His for His glory.

What are you believing Him for right now? Whose work is it?

Found in Translation - Sons and Heirs

I've had opportunity to minister using interpreters in at least 7 different languages. There have been times where my words have been accurately translated and others where this hasn't been the case.

When what I have faithfully said is faithfully delivered, there is a marked difference in the response.

It is this way with our representation of Christ. People see Him in us. Hence, this week's topic: Found in Translation.

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"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise"
(Galatians 3:26-29).

This amazing proclamation secures our place in Him.

We aren't His children by nature (Jesus is the only begotten) or by creation (as Adam, the angels, and all mankind) but by divine adoption. We are made legitimate in Him by His sovereign act of grace in accepting us in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6)!

Because we are children of God we are heirs of God. And because we are spiritual children of Abraham we are heirs of the promise!

Represent Him as His son and heir to the promise. In this spiritual posture - recognizing His sovereign act of grace in us, not by our works - He can be found in us.

Be a faithful translation. Walk as His son and heir.

Found in Translation - Our Meat is His Will

I've had opportunity to minister using interpreters in at least 7 different languages. There have been times where my words have been accurately translated and others where this hasn't been the case.

When what I have faithfully said is faithfully delivered, there is a marked difference in the response.

It is this way with our representation of Christ. People see Him in us. Hence, this week's topic: Found in Translation.

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"For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;..." (Colossians 1:9-10).

To be a faithful translation of Him we must abandon the search for knowledge for the sake of knowledge and understand the call to seek His will.

Paul writes that we "...might be filled with the knowledge of His will..". There is no greater knowledge than to understand His will for us! Then, after this is secured, there must be a practical carrying-out of what we know as we "...walk worthy...". It isn't enough to know His will. We then must be willing to walk in it!

This produces fruitfulness in every good work and causes an increase in our knowledge of God.

Many seek greater and greater knowledge of Him. That is a good thing. But our walk is affected by our knowledge of His will. And the fruitfulness will bring a greater knowledge of Him as the manifestation of His will in our lives produces fruit that represents Him.

We have a common cry for "more meat", meaning we want more knowledge. But Jesus said, "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work" (John 4:34).

Be a faithful translation by seeking the will of God and walking in it. Make your meat His will and work.

Found in Translation - Walking in Him

I've had opportunity to minister using interpreters in at least 7 different languages. There have been times where my words have been accurately translated and others where this hasn't been the case.

When what I have faithfully said is faithfully delivered, there is a marked difference in the response.

It is this way with our representation of Christ. People see Him in us. Hence, this week's topic: Found in Translation.

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"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving" (Colossians 2:6-7).

The receiving of Christ is a heart matter. It is a complete reception of Christ as fully God and fully man. It is surrender to Him in all his offices, as Prophet, Priest, and King and the acknowledgment and entire acceptance as Savior and Redeemer.

We also receive all blessings of grace along with Him, from Him, and through Him; as a justifying righteousness, the remission of sins, our adoption as children, and as an inheritance among all them that are sanctified.

Paul's instruction to walk in Him in this same way means, not only an imitation of Him as He walked (in grace, love, patience, humility, meekness, and obedience) but by faith in Him - always looking to Him, leaning on Him, and receiving strength from Him, so that we CAN walk in Christ, under His influence, by His direction, and through His assistance.

We then have what we need in order to have what others need.

Be a faithful translation by walking fully in Him.

Found in Translation - Christ in you

I've had opportunity to minister using interpreters in at least 7 different languages. There have been times where my words have been accurately translated and others where this hasn't been the case. This has been clear to me as I observe the response of the people as they receive the translated words.

When what I have faithfully said is faithfully delivered, there is a marked difference in the response.

It is this way with our representation of Christ. People see Him in us. Hence, this week's topic: Found in Translation.

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"To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).

This first chapter of Colossians speaks to the faith of God's people, the preeminence of Christ, His victorious reconciling death, and the sacrificial service of His followers - the church.

This particular verse in context, above, when translated properly through our living, shows Him not only as the omnipresent God, but as the Source of special grace. The phrase communicates the full range of a revelation of Him in us, of our possession of Him, and of His dwelling in us by His Spirit.

It is a representation of His grace, since by works we cannot attain His indwelling.

But, in an accurate translation of His glory, His works will be manifest in us.

He is being translated by you to a world that primarily speaks in works. Your works are not your salvation - only by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8) - but they may be the salvation of another as His grace is translated into love by your works.

Be a faithful translation.

Found in Translation - Ambassadors

I've had opportunity to minister using interpreters in at least 7 different languages, that I can think of. There have been times where my words have been accurately translated. And others where this hasn't been the case (one translator actually told the people that a minister I was referring to was a Buddhist!). This has been clear to me as I observe the response of the people as they receive the translated words.

When what I have faithfully said is faithfully delivered, there is a marked difference in the response.

It is this way with our representation of Christ. Hence, this week's topic: Found in Translation.

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"Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God." (2 Corinthians 5:20)

This potent verse, teeming with God's confidence in us, speaks to the power of His love and the depth of His grace. He pleads through us.

What Christ committed to Paul, He committed to us.

He writes, just 6 short verses before this, "...the love of Christ compels us...". This is the prerequisite to representing Christ as His ambassador (entire passage here).

If people are to find Christ, they will find Him through us. Our translation of His Spirit-life into a flesh-form, once again, is the greatest hope for the reconciliation of all.

Be a faithful translation of the Word. Be compelled by the love of Christ.

Revolutionary Prayer

Prayer is, in our Protestant perspective, something we talk about a lot. Along with Bible Study, it is heralded as a core element of what separates us from the unbeliever and as a vital organ in the Body of Believers.

But it must be a part of the whole of our work in Him - our worship, our service, our giving, our loving, our celebration, our sacrifice, our silence, our fasting. As we "carve out" dedicated times for prayer we must recognize the possibility that we could develop a habit of being "in" or "out" of fellowship with God - with the "carved out" times being our moments of spirituality.

If we want to have revolutionary prayer - prayer that changes things - we must recognize that our dedicated times of prayer are part of our ongoing fellowship with the Father. And that the fellowship never ceases. "Prayer without ceasing", as Paul talked about (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Phillipians 4:6), is not burdensome prayer that separates us from the world, but enlightening and ongoing fellowship in the moment that positions us to change the world. This perspective brings life to our prayer time, as we are not "pigeon-holing" it or checking it off of our "Christian To-Do List".

The purpose of revolutionary prayer is to develop such an on-going conversation with God that our lives carry the very will of God as received in dedicated AND ongoing fellowship with Him.

Prayer does not burden us any more than wings burden a eagle. Fellowship with the Father is what carries us, suspends us, and provides us with perspective. When we leave a dedicated time of prayer, no matter how short, we are centered in His plan and able to continue in fellowship for the sake of Him advancing the Kingdom THROUGH US! WE become the agents of change (ambassadors) as we walk out what the Father has prepared us for.

We don't pray so that God has more power to do what He wants to do - He is already All-Powerful! We pray so that WE are empowered BY HIM to do what He wants US to do.

We carry the instructions received "in the closet" and "on the go" to engage the world as we are sent for His purposes, in constant fellowship as partners with Him.

Determination - A Time Trial

My family just started work on a really large puzzle. It's an old-fashioned grandfather clock that, when completed, will actually tell time. It has a built-in clock.

It's not an easy puzzle. The size (over 4 feet tall!), shape, and intricate patterns make it especially challenging.

In talking about whether or not we are up to the challenge, we spoke of it being a "hard" puzzle. But "hard" is no reason to quit anything. But this is "REALLY hard!"

At what point do we get to quit?

The writer of Hebrews:

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (12:1-2)

He goes on to say, "...you have not yet resisted to bloodshed." (12:4)

The references here have to do with our resisting sin, but the strength of the words is sobering.

This service to Christ is serious business.

We cannot quit. We cannot fall back. We cannot give in.

Serving Him is a great pleasure with joy unspeakable and rewards beyond anything that mere living can offer. We must remember this. No matter how "REALLY hard" it gets.