Praying for those who lead

"I urge ... that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for ...all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." (1 Timothy 2:1-2, NIV) When I read that passage, I felt the sting of conscience! I have not consistently matched my criticism of those who lead with earnest prayers offered on their behalf. It's easy to find things with which we disagree in any situation where there is a leader.

Griping about policies and decisions made by those who are 'in charge' in a given setting is an American sport. No matter if it is a supervisor at work, the local zoning official, the governor of our state, the President, the pastor of our church, the principal at our child's school- we have an opinion about how the job should be done. "Why did he do that?" "Why didn't she move more quickly to address the need?" "What was he thinking?" I found the recent criticisms of our national leaders over their response to Hurricane Katrina almost humorous. Early on, the government was lambasted for not responding quickly enough, with a flow of resources. Then, a couple of weeks later, the outcry was about too much money being poured into the SE United States which was resulting in wasteful spending. So, what is it? Too much or too little? If there was a poll I am quite certain that about equal numbers of people would take opposing positions.

One of the privileges of our free and democratic society is that we can make our opinions known and use various methods to put pressure on our government. Then, too, from time to time, we get to go and vote brave souls into office so we can spend the next few years criticizing how they are doing the job. As followers of the Way of Jesus, we need to take another step, too- PRAY! Our prayers for those who lead must go beyond, "Lord, bless the President today." The Bible tells us to offer specific requests, to intercede (to seek a hearing with God on behalf of another), and to thank God for those in authority! Christians from both sides of the political spectrum have the privilege, yes the responsibility, to pray for ALL of our leaders. Depending on our political persuasions, our prayers will be framed very differently. That's just fine. There isn't a 'right' prayer; it is simply right to pray! God is pleased that we pray at all! We pray, He answers.

Yesterday, I was at prayer with several of my friends who are Pastors, called to lead local congregations. There was a heaviness in their hearts, created not as much by the work of the Church which each of us in that room delights in doing, but by the incessant criticism that goes with being a leader. The men who gathered to pray are good men. They work hard at doing what God has called them to do. Each of them is a servant to the people God has entrusted to their care, yet critics abound. What a blessings might result if those who were unhappy with choices and decisions made be their leaders matched their criticism, word for word, with "requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving?"

Let me leave you with these two challenges today:

1st - When you see something being done by someone who is in a position of leadership with which you disagree, go to prayer BEFORE you write a letter or utter a word of criticism. Give God an opportunity to change something- it might be you, it might be the leader!

2nd - When you hear another Believer criticizing someone in leadership, whatever the position, gently ask if you might agree with that person in prayer about the situation. Match the criticism (which may be valid, by the way!) with a genuine, heartfelt prayer on behalf of the leader. Not only is that God's will, but you will see your leader changed - and the Bible says that as God grants wisdom to our leaders, we all benefit with better lives!
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Remember to set your clocks back this Saturday evening.
It's time to "Fall back" from Daylight Saving Time.

Be in church this Sunday.
It's going to be a celebration Sunday as we have several being baptized in the worship service.
Come and rejoice in their open confession of their faith in Jesus Christ!

"Don't tell me what to do!"

We love our freedom! Self-determination or autonomy is an American value that ranks at the top of the list of the things we want in life. If offered two jobs, one providing a higher level of pay but less choice about how to do the job or less pay with greater freedom, most Americans say they would take the job with greater personal freedom. Freedom is great, but it is never absolute. Because we live in community, our personal freedom is always balanced against the welfare of others. For example, we are not free to drive as fast as we want to on public roads because some would fail to regulate their speed for the common good. Laws regulate the exercise of freedom. In an ideal world, there would be such a level of respect for others that laws would be largely unnecessary, but we don't live in an ideal world!

In the Bible, we are taught that we are 'free' in Christ! Jesus declared, "you will know the truth and the truth will set you free!" (John 8:32) God, by His Spirit, set us free from the tyranny of Satan, giving us the ability to choose to live holy lives. He made us free from the need for a priest, inviting each of us to 'come boldly to the throne of grace to receive mercy' at the direct invitation of Jesus Christ. In Galatians 5:1-2, the Word reminds us that we are free of religious systems that would limit our access to God by forcing a code of behavior on us -"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing." (NKJV) No one can say to us that we must observe certain dietary laws, holy days, or such things in order to be a Christian. At the close of the book of Romans, we are told that we must not make God's work into a set of laws regulating such matters, for we are free to respond to the Spirit individually. Balancing that wonderful truth, Paul reminds us (using an illustration of what foods are 'right' to eat) -"...if another Christian is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died." (Romans 14:15-16, NLT)

There is a misuse of freedom that is all too common, when freedom is twisted into an expression of selfishness and rebelliousness where the Believer resists all spiritual authority, and fails to find his place in a church community. I've heard this mistaken declaration, in one form or another, hundreds of times: "I serve God in my own way. I don't need to part of a church or accept the spiritual authority of a pastor to be a Christian." That is simply not true, though it is very appealing to most of us. Many Christians, as a result of misunderstanding their freedom in Christ, live as a law to themselves, accepting no guidance, saying in word and action, "Don't tell me what to do!" In the middle of a discussion of the Believer's relationship to government and issues surrounding slavery, Peter makes this demand of all of us who are Christ-followers: "Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king." (1 Peter 2:13-17, NIV)

Be free! Revel in God's acceptance of YOU, His love for YOU, the fact that YOU know Him and live in His gift of grace.
Submit to Him reverently and as a love slave, not a dutiful servant.

And... submit to one another, not because you have to, but because you want to! The person who is truly free finds that it is no burden to serve God, the needy, or his family. Indeed, it is this very freedom that allows us to serve best!
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Hidden in Jesus

The late Ray Stedman in his book, Authentic Christianity, writes about meeting a beautiful woman who wore a unique perfume. The face and the scent were indelibly imprinted together in his mind. From that moment, every time he detected that fragrance, the memory of the beautiful face of the woman on whom he first detected it returned to his mind. In a similar manner, our lives should bear a unique fragrance, not literally, but figuratively. And when we are around, the 'fragrance' that surrounds us will bring to mind Jesus Christ! "Thank God! ... in Christ, God leads us... Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life." (2 Corinthians 2:14-15, The Message)

So how do we live so that we bring Jesus Christ to the minds of people around us? We let our lives be hidden in Christ!

In my childhood, I heard Tom pray in church using a phrase that sticks in my mind all these years later; "Lord, hide our pastor behind the Cross." It was a puzzling line. Listening literally to that prayer, my mind saw our pastor running to hide himself behind a big wooden cross! Now I know what Tom was asking of God- "Let Jesus shine through, eclipsing the personality of our pastor. Make his ministry about Jesus, not himself." It's a wonderful prayer that I pray for myself as the shepherd of a local church. As I minister to people in His Name, I do not want the issue to become me or my agenda. It's all about Jesus. A worthy prayer for every Believer is, "Lord, hide me in Jesus. Let the beauty of His love wrap around me, my inadequacies, my personality." This happens as we come to the Cross, dying to self and ego. This is what the Scripture urges on us when we read, "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:2-3, NKJV)

This does not mean that Believers must strive to become blah, bland, colorless, faceless functionaries. God's work need not be done by invisible ghosts that disappear into the wallpaper. Some mistakenly think that to let Jesus shine through their lives, they must lose their sense of humor; even attempting to suppress all emotion, all things that make them unique. How wrong! God calls us into His service with our personality intact. His work in this world is enriched by the passion, the humor, the compassion, the joy, the love that flows from the emotions that make us unique.

What we do is to offer ourselves completely to His service. As we present ourselves to Him, the Holy Spirit begins a process of transformation. We keep the personality, but without the ego-centric orientation that once controlled the expressions of that personality. We pray to become suffused with the Spirit, immersed in His presence, so that His purposes, His message, His Person is reflected through us. Before you go out into the world today, take some time to be with God. Be quiet before Him. Pray that Jesus' love would be wrapped around you.

Then, go and spread the fragrance!
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May the fragrance of Jesus fill this place,
May the fragrance of Jesus fill this place;
Rising from the sacrifice
Of lives laid down in adoration.

May the glory of Jesus fill His church,
May the glory of Jesus fill His church;
Radiant glory of Jesus
Shining from our faces,
As we gaze in adoration.

May the beauty of Jesus fill my life,
May the beauty of Jesus fill my life.
Fill my thoughts, my words, my deeds;
My all I give in adoration.

© 1986 Kingsway's Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) CCLI License No. 810055

Prayer shaped by love

We have three kids living in South Florida along with two daughters-in-law and two grandsons. Hurricane Wilma hit that region yesterday harder than most had anticipated. I watched the storm track on the news and realized they would feel the storm's impact, all throughout the day, I kept praying for them. No matter what I was doing, no matter where I was, my mind was never far from Boynton Beach, Florida! Our cell phones rang repeatedly as I called them and they called me. "Dad, it's frighteningly fierce out there!" "Dad, our shed just collapsed." "Dad, I can see a part of our roof blowing off." "Dad, parts of the living ceiling just fell in." "Grandpa, our mailbox blew down." "Hey, Dad, you know how you love a thunderstorm? You oughta be here right now. You'd love this. It's amazing."

And I was saying, "Father, place your Hand over those children. Please keep them from harm." At the end of the storm, they were safe. Their property was damaged, but livable. And I breathed a prayer as the day closed, "Thanks, Abba, for walking us through this day!" I needed no reminder to pray. I didn't have to write a list, or put a note on the frig! Those were my kids in that storm and my heart was with them.

On reflection, I thought about the family of Believers. Paul reminds us that we are Body, attached to each other. "If one part suffers, all parts suffer with it," he writes in 1 Corinthians 12. If we love the family of God, our prayers won't be forced, nor will we need to coached or prodded. We will pray, prompted by love. Our prayers reveal the depth of our love, the strength of our ties. When stormy times sweep through the lives of our brothers and sisters, our hearts will carry them close. We will breathe their name to Abba in Heaven frequently and faithfully.

It is impossible for most of us to love hundreds, perhaps even dozens of people in that deep kind of way. That is why it is so important to be linked with a smaller group within the Church - a prayer fellowship, a Sunday School class, a ministry team, or a small home group. "But, Pastor Jerry, doesn't that lead to cliques?" It can, but it need not be that way. We must recognize the 'network' nature of human relationships. We maintain close ties with several, who are tied to others, who are close to even more; and in this way we are all connected, all sharing together.

Being closely tied to a fellowship where there is reciprocal ministry and prayer does not mean we are without concern for those who are outside of our small group. We love all of God's people. When we hear of suffering on the far side of the globe, we pray and we care. Even then there is a thread of love that binds our hearts together to God's extended family. But, we need those primary relationships in God's family that are deep and strong, our 'family' network that steadies us in the storm and carries us with fervent prayer!

Here's a word from the Word. Let it become instructive to you and help you to strengthen your love for the family of God.
"Because you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ... I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again. It is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a very special place in my heart. We have shared together the blessings of God, ... defending the truth and telling others the Good News. God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:5-8, NLT)
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The Family Of God

You will notice we say "brother" and "sister" 'round here.
It's because we're a family and these folks are so near.
When one has a heartache, we all share the tears,
And rejoice in each victory in this family so dear.

I'm so glad I'm a part of the fam'ly of God.
I've been washed in the fountain,Cleansed by His blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
For I'm part of the fam'ly, the family of God.


Author: Gaither, William J. / Gaither, Gloria
Copyright: 1970 William J. Gaither, Inc. ARR UBP of Gaither Copyright Management

A heart open to transforming Truth?

Asking people what they want out of life can be interesting - as much for what they do not say as for what they do say! Often our expectations are not consciously defined. Many of us are not aware of a hope, a dream, a desire that is buried deeply in our heart. However, that expectation, from its place in the sub-conscious mind, shapes the way we interact and the emotions we feel about our life, our relationships, even our response to God! A missed expectation creates the emotional equivalent of a toothache, a gnawing pain that has an effect on our whole life.

For example, if a woman who has enjoyed a close and supportive relationship with her father enters into marriage subconsciously thinking, "My husband will be 'just like my Dad,' and he isn't; she will become angry, resenting him without knowing why. If she has not defined those expectations to him or to herself, both will be puzzled about why she is upset. Similarly, if a person becomes a Christ-follower with the undefined expectation that their new-found faith will instantly relieve them of dealing with a troubling habit, they will wonder if their experience is real, or if the Gospel is true, when they do not find the relief they expected. I recently spent some time re-defining my expectations about what it means to be a pastor! Yes, after serving the Lord in paid church positions for nearly 30 years, I needed to think through my expectations of God and the congregation I serve. I found a hidden unrealistic expectation that was having an effect on my life. Defining it and evaluating it in light of the Scripture provided a new freedom from an old source of unhappiness!

Emotionally mature people are self-aware. They know their feelings, understand why those emotions occur, and how to deal with them. Self awareness helps us not to blame others for our responses. Self awareness allows us to deal with real heart needs instead of surface symptoms. Self awareness allows us to admit our weaknesses and live in our strengths.

A key to becoming a self-aware person is becoming a Christ-follower open to the transformational work of the Holy Spirit! Tragically, sometimes Christianity is used like a Band-Aid to cover up pain. Some quote the Scriptures in a superficial way that only buries emotional pain deeper. Certain 'truths' are taught that cause people to hide their real feelings so they can 'look good' as they pretend to be someone they are not. Real spirituality based in an authentic relationship with the Holy Spirit will cause us to 'get real,' to begin to become honest with ourselves and others, and to move into wholeness. Paul says that in churches where the Holy Spirit is invited to be at work, people will meet up with Truth that transforms!

Take a look at this passage: "...if all of you are prophesying (speaking God's truth by the Holy Spirit), and unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your meeting, they will be convicted of sin, and they will be condemned by what you say. As they listen, their secret thoughts will be laid bare, and they will fall down on their knees and worship God, declaring, “God is really here among you.” Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize what I am saying. When you meet, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in an unknown language, while another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must be useful to all and build them up in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 14:24-26, NLT)

In that much-quoted phrase, Jesus promised that 'you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.' Unless we know our hearts, unless we allow the Holy Spirit to poke holes in our self-deceptions, we will never be free! Only God can reveal the contents of our hearts to us, because only He really knows fully. Getting to know ourselves can be a frightening thing. We will discover things about ourselves we don't like, ugly things we will want to quickly bury from sight. But, if we understand the Truth of God's love, shown to us through Christ Jesus, we will face those things, admit them to ourselves and to God, and begin the process of transformation.

What do you want out of life? Do you really know? Are you growing in self-awareness? Here's a promise to meditate on today. "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, ...all reflect the Lord’s glory, ...being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:17-18, NIV)