Caught in the Land of In-Between

 

Caught in the Land of In-Between

Caught in the Land of In-Between - Audio/Visual 

So, the Lord gave to Israel all the land of which he had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. The Lord gave them rest all around, according to all that he had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass. (Josh. 21:43-45)

For seven years they were virtually untouchable. Seven nations conquered. At least thirty-one kings defeated. Approximately ten thousand square miles of choice real estate claimed. Seven years of unbridled success. They were outnumbered but not outpowered; they were underequipped but not overwhelmed. They were the unlikely but unquestionable conquerors of some of the most barbaric armies in history. Had the campaign been a prize fight, the referee would have called the fight in the first round. A TKO. The Hebrew people were unstoppable. But that wasn’t always the case.

The Bible doesn't gloss over the checkered history of God's chosen people. Abraham had too many wives. Jacob told too many lies. Esau sold his birthright. Joseph's brothers sold Joseph. Four centuries of Egyptian bondage were followed by forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Then later, seventy years of Babylonian captivity. The Hebrew people built two temples only to lose them both. They were given the Ark of the Covenant only to lose it, too. Babylonia built her cities. Greece flexed her muscles. Rome stretched her empire. And Israel? Well, in the schoolroom of ancient nations, Israel was the kid with the black eye, bullied and beaten and cowering in the corner. Except for those seven years.

Their accomplishments were so complete the historian wrote: “So the Lord gave to Israel all the land of which he had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. The Lord gave them rest all around, according to all that he had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.” (Josh. 21:43-45)

Those are some pretty sweeping statements: "The Lord gave . . . all the land;" "The Lord gave them rest;" "Not a man of all their enemies stood against them;" "All came to pass." Winter chill gave way to springtime thaw, and a new season had been born, and maybe you could use a new season, too. You don't need to cross the Jordan River, but you need to get through the week. You aren't facing Jericho, but you’re facing rejection or heartache. Canaanites don't stalk you, but disease, discouragement and dangers do. And you wonder if you have what it takes to face tomorrow.

Sometimes the challenge is just too much. You want to keep up. You try. It's not that you don't. You just run out of fight. Life has a way of taking the life out of us. The book of Joshua is in the Bible for those seasons. It dares us to believe that our best days are ahead of us. The Promised Land was the third stop on the Hebrews' iconic itinerary. Their pilgrimage began in Egypt, continued through the wilderness, and concluded in Canaan. Each land represents a different condition of life. Kind of like geography as theology. In Egypt, the Hebrews were enslaved to Pharaoh. In the wilderness they were free from Pharaoh but still enslaved to fear. They refused to enter the Promised Land and languished in the desert. Only in Canaan did they discover victory.

We’ve all traveled on that itinerary. Egypt represents our days before salvation. We were in bondage to sin. We wore the leg irons of guilt and death. But then came our Deliverer, Jesus Christ. By his grace, and in his power, we crossed the Red Sea. He liberated us from the old life and offered us a brand-new life in Canaan. Our promised land isn't a physical territory; it’s a spiritual reality. It's not real estate but a real state of the heart and mind. A promised land life in which "we are more than conquerors through [Christ] who loved us." (Rom. 8:37) A life in which "we do not lose heart." (2 Cor. 4:16) A life in which "[Christ's] love has the first and last word in everything we do." (2 Cor. 5:14) A life in which we are "exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation." (2 Cor. 7:4) A life in which we are "anxious for nothing" (Phil. 4:6), in which we are "praying always" (Eph. 6:18), and a life in which we "do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Col. 3:17)

Canaan is a life defined by grace, refined by challenge and aligned with a heavenly call. In God's plan, in God's land, we win more often than we lose, forgive as quickly as we’re offended, and give as abundantly as we receive. We serve out of our giftedness, and delight in our assignments. We may stumble, but we don’t collapse. We may struggle, but we don’t despair. We boast only in Christ, trust only in God, and lean wholly on his power. We enjoy abundant fruit and increasing faith. Canaan symbolizes the victory we can have today. Heaven will have no enemies; Canaan had at least seven enemy nations. Heaven will have no battles; Joshua and his men fought at least thirty-one of them. (Josh. 12:9-24) Heaven will be free of stumbles and struggles; Joshua's men weren't. They stumbled and struggled, but their victories far outnumbered their defeats. Canaan, then, does not represent the life to come. Canaan represents the life we can have – now.

God invites us to enter Canaan and there’s only one condition. We must turn our backs on the wilderness. Just as Canaan represents the victorious Christian life, the wilderness represents the defeated Christian life. In the desert the Hebrew people were liberated from Egyptian bondage, but you wouldn't have known it by listening to them. Just three days into their freedom "the people complained against Moses, saying, 'What shall we drink?'" (Ex. 15:24) A few more days passed, and "the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness . . . 'Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt . . . For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.'" (16:2-3) "The people contended with Moses" (17:2), and "the people complained against Moses." (v. 3) They inhaled anxiety like oxygen. They bellyached to the point that Moses prayed, "’What shall I do with these people? They are about ready to stone me!’" (v. 4)

How did the Hebrews go from carefree to the Dead Sea? It wasn't due to a lack of miracles. They saw God's power in high definition. They watched locusts gobble crops, boils devour skin, and flies buzz through Pharaoh's court. God turned the chest-thumping Egyptians into shark bait right before their eyes. But when God called them to cross over into Canaan, the twelve spies returned and all but two said the mission was impossible. The giants were too big for them. "We were like grasshoppers," they said. (Num. 13:33) So God gave them time to think it over. He put the entire nation in a time-out for nearly forty years. They walked in circles. They ate the same food every day. Life was an endless routine of the same rocks, lizards and snakes. Victories were scarce. Progress was slow. They were saved but not strong. Redeemed but not released. Saved from Pharaoh but stuck in the desert. Redeemed but locked in a routine. Monotonous. Dull. Ho-hum. Humdrum. Four decades of tedium. Enough time for an entire unbelieving generation to die out. Sounds pretty miserable. Sound familiar?

The REVEAL Research Project went looking for Joshua’s. Back in 2007 they began surveying the members of more than a thousand churches. They wanted to determine the percentage of churchgoers who were actually propelled by their faith to love God and love others with their whole hearts. How many Christians would describe their days as being their best days? The answer? Eleven percent. Nearly nine out of ten believers were languishing in the wilderness. Saved? Yes. Empowered? No. They wasted away in the worst of ways – in the Land of In-Between. Out of Egypt but not yet in Canaan. What if a high school graduated only 11 percent of its students, or a hospital healed only 11 percent of its patients, or a baseball team won only 11 percent of its games? Wouldn't it be time for a change? As Albert Einstein observed, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

Do you sense a disconnect between the promises of the Bible and the reality of your life? Jesus offers abundant joy, yet you live with oppressive grief. The Epistles speak of grace, yet you shoulder immense guilt. We are "more than conquerors" (Rom. 8:37), yet we’re commonly conquered by temptations or weaknesses. Caught in the land between Egypt and Canaan. Think about the Christian you want to be. What qualities do you want to have? More compassion? More conviction? More courage? And what attitudes do you want to discontinue? Greed? Guilt? Endless negativity? Here’s the good news. You can. With God's help you can close the gap between the person you are and the person you want to be, and the person God made you to be – living "from glory to glory." (2 Cor. 3:18)

The walls of Jericho are already condemned. The giants are already on the run. The deed to your new life in Canaan has already been signed. It just falls to you to possess the land. Joshua and his men did it. They went from dry land to the Promised Land, from manna to feasts, and from arid deserts to fertile fields. They inherited their inheritance. So, personalize the promise in Joshua 21. Put your name in the blanks: “The Lord gave to (you) all the life he had sworn to give. And (you) took possession of it and dwelt in it. The Lord gave (you) rest all around and not an enemy stood. Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to (you). All came to pass.” That’s God's vision for your life.

Imagine. You at full throttle. You as you were intended. You as victor over the Jericho’s and giants in this world. It’s yours for the taking. Expect to be challenged, of course – the enemy won't go down without a fight. But expect great progress. Life is different on the west side of the Jordan. Breakthroughs outnumber breakdowns. God's promises outweigh personal problems. Victory becomes, dare we even imagine, a way of life. Isn't it time for you to change your mailing address from the wilderness to the Promised Land? Your inheritance awaits you.

So, why not get marching?

Grace,

Randy

Give IT to Jesus

 

Give IT to Jesus

Give IT to Jesus - Audio/Visual 

The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way — never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of a life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity. (2 Cor. 10:3-6 – MSG)

It troubles you, fatigues you and shames you. It’s the disease you can't heal, the job you can't stomach, the marriage you can't fix, and the rage you can't tame. It hurts. It looms over your life. It’s IT – two towering letters, tall and defiant. IT. They march like Frankenstein's monster. Each step a thud; each thud an earthquake. "Look out! Here IT comes!" "I can't take IT anymore!" IT overshadows and intimidates everyone – everyone, that is, except people who take IT to Jesus. People like the Roman soldier mentioned in Matthew’s gospel.

The soldier was a centurion, a Captain in the Roman army. He held unquestioned authority over men. Yet there was something special about this officer. He loved his servant. “’Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘I will come and heal him.’” (Matt. 8:6-7) The soldier’s prayer was unembroidered. Frank and factual; direct and to-the-point: “My servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” IT was killing the Captain and his servant.

And IT was enough to set Jesus in motion. So, Jesus turned and immediately began to walk in the direction of the centurion's house. But the officer stopped him. "’Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, “Go,” and he goes; and to another, “Come,” and he comes; and to my servant, “Do this,” and he does it.’" (vv. 8-9)

The centurion understood the dynamics of authority. He was a man under authority, and a man with authority. His superiors sent directives to him, and he obeyed. He gave commands, and his soldiers obeyed. They didn't question his decisions. The Roman army respected the chain of command. So, the centurion knew authority when he saw it, and he saw ultimate authority in Jesus Christ. "’Only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.’ [Jesus] marveled, and said to those who followed, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! . . . Go your way; and as you have believed, let it be done for you.’ And his servant was healed that same hour.” (vv. 8, 10, 13)

The centurion's confidence in Jesus ran deep. Jesus could not only handle IT but handle IT long distance. Just a word from Jesus would suffice, and Jesus was stunned. “Finally,” Jesus’ apparent response seems to imply, “someone finally understands my authority.” The soldier did, but do we?

Jesus has unimpeachable authority. "He sustains everything by the mighty power of his command." (Heb. 1:3) "God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name." (Phil. 2:9) The Roman government tried to intimidate him. False religion tried to silence him. The devil tried to kill him. All failed. Even "death was no match for him." (Acts 2:24) Jesus "disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross." (Col. 2:15) He wasn’t kidding when he declared, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." (Matt. 28:18)

Jesus is the command center of the galaxies. "Two sparrows cost only a penny, but not even one of them can die without your Father's knowing it." (Matt. 10:29) He occupies the Oval Office. He called a coin out of the mouth of a fish. He stopped the waves with a word. He spoke, and a tree withered. He spoke again, and a basket became a banquet. The economy. Meteorology. Botany. Nutrition. Everything. "All things have been handed over to me by my Father." (Matt. 11:27) And that includes Satan.

The devil was soundly defeated by Christ on the cross. Jesus outranks him in every situation. He must obey Jesus, and Satan knows it. Prayers offered in the name of Jesus have "divine power to demolish strongholds." (2 Cor. 10:4) Demolish. Not damage or hamper but demolish. Prayer falls on strongholds like a lit match on a grassy plain in a Santa Ana. The devil fears prayer. Just imagine this scene.

He sat at the back of the room during a strategy session. A dozen demons had gathered to hear a report on the life of a particularly stalwart saint. "He won't stumble," complained the imp responsible for his demise. "No matter what I do, he won't turn his back on God." The council began to offer suggestions. "Take his purity," one said. "I tried," replied the fiend, "but he’s too moral." "Take his health," urged another. "I did, but he refused to grumble or complain." "Take his belongings." "Are you kidding? I've stripped the man of every penny and possession. Yet he still rejoices." For a few moments no one spoke. They were stumped.

Finally, from the back of the room came the low, measured voice of Satan himself. The entire council turned as the fallen angel rose to his feet. His pale face was all but hidden by a hood. A long cape covered his body. He raised his bony hand and made his point. "It's not enough to take his purity. It's not enough to take his health. It's not even enough to take his belongings. You must take what matters most." "And what’s that?" asked the subordinates. "You must take his prayer life."

Prayer handcuffs Satan. Prayer takes problems out of the domain of the devil and into the presence of God. Prayer confesses, "God can handle IT, and since he can, I have hope!" When we pray in the name of Jesus, we come to God on the basis of Jesus' accomplishment. "Since we have a great high priest [Jesus] over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith." (Heb. 10:21-22) As our high priest, Jesus offers our prayers to God. His prayers are always heard. "Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in my name, he will give it to you." (John 16:23)

I’ve heard some say, "Prayer changes things because it changes us." And I agree – to a point. Prayer changes things but it’s because prayer appeals to the top power in the universe. Prayer is not some magical formula, or mystical chant. It’s the “Yes” to God's invitation to invoke his name.

Suppose I were to say to the manager of a car dealership, "I want a brand-new car – for free." He would likely show me the nearest exit or call security. If, however, I carry a letter signed by the owner of the dealership that states, "Randy’s my friend, and I’m giving him a new car of his choice," guess who drives away in a new car? So, what makes the difference? The authority of the one who signed the letter. In the same way, when we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, we present a letter signed by our Friend.

We access the throne room of God by virtue of the name of Jesus. Heaven sees his signature and throws out the welcome mat. Mark it down: IT won't have the last word. Jesus will. “God raised [Christ] from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything.” (Eph. 1:20-22) Did you catch that? He’s in charge of IT all – all of IT.

The phrase "In Jesus' name" is not an empty motto or talisman. It’s a declaration of truth: my illness is not in charge; Jesus is. The economy is not in charge; Jesus is. The grumpy neighbor doesn't run the world; Jesus does. Jesus is the Head Coach, CEO, President, King, Supreme Ruler, Absolute Monarch, High and Holy Baron, Czar, and Overlord of all history.

So, pray. Since God works, prayer works. Since God is good, prayer is good. Since you matter to God, your prayers matter in heaven. You're never without hope because you're never without prayer. And on the occasions when you can't seem to find the words to say, let your spirit cry out to Jesus. In Jesus’ name our sins are washed away. In Jesus’ name we’re rescued; we are saved. In Jesus’ name there’s freedom for the broken-hearted. In Jesus’ name there’s healing for the hopeless.

Curiously, some of the world’s most famous companies already know this. “Just do IT.” (Nike) “When IT absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.” (FedEx) “Because (you’re) worth IT.” (L’oreal) “Have IT your way.” (Burger King) And last but not least, “IT keeps going and going and going” – cue the bunny. (Energizer)

So, take IT from them, or – better yet – take IT from Jesus. But whatever you do, just let IT go and rest your days and your souls in Jesus’ name. Prayer – “Don’t leave home without IT.” (American Express)

Grace,

Randy

You Can Change God's Mind

You Can Change God’s Mind

You Can Change God's Mind - Audio/Visual 

Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full — pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back. (Luke 6:38)

You sit in an ER waiting room surrounded by an anxious family. You rushed there the moment you heard about the accident. The teenage son of your neighbor was injured in a car wreck. He’s in surgery and your friends are in shock. You'd do anything for them. But what can you do? Or you try to conceal your shock at the news that your friend's teenage daughter is pregnant, confused and considering an abortion. Your friend blames herself. "If only . . . .” What can you do? Perhaps you sigh at the images on the TV screen. An apocalyptic firestorm consumes parts of the Los Angeles basin. Schools are in ashes, houses destroyed, lives lost. Such devastation. But what can you do when the challenge is greater than you are? When the hurt is palpable? When you feel helpless and impotent? Where can you turn? Turn to one of Jesus' most intriguing teachings about prayer.

“Suppose you went to a friend's house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don't bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can't help you.’ But I tell you this – though he won't do it for friendship's sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Luke 11:5-10)

That's you ringing the doorbell at midnight. The neighborhood is quiet, and the streets are still. The sky is dark, and so is your friend's two-story house. But still you ring his doorbell. Not once or twice, but three times. Ding-dong. Ding-dong. Ding-dong. It's a big house, so it’s a big noise. His Chihuahua wakes up. He has that snappy, “Who-do-you-think-you-are?” kind of bark. You envision what’s happening upstairs. Your friend's wife is giving him a kick under the blankets. "Hank. Hank! Hank!! Get up! Someone’s at the door." Poor guy. One minute sound asleep, and the next? Summarily kicked out of bed. Doorbell ringing. Dog barking. Hank’s not going to like this.

The porch light comes on. The door opens. Boy, Hank’s a mess. Boxer shorts. T-shirt. Bed head. Face lined with pillow creases and covered in whiskers. "What in the world are you doing here?" he asks. "A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat," you answer. The homeowner grumbles and complains, but you insist. "Come on, Hank, please?" Finally, Hank acquiesces, invites you in, and takes you to his pantry. You fill a basket with food and take it home and Viola! Your surprise guest doesn't have to go to bed hungry. All because you spoke up on behalf of someone else.

That’s intercessory prayer at its purest – a confluence of paucity and audacity. "I can't heal them, but you can God." "I can't forgive them, but you can God." "I can't help them, but you can God.” That kind of prayer gets God's attention. After all, if Hank, a cranky, disgruntled friend, will help you out, how much more will God if you just simply ask? He never sleeps. He's never irritated. When you knock on his door, he responds quickly and fairly. Jesus never refused an intercessory request. Ever.

Peter brought concerns for his sick mother-in-law. The centurion brought a request for his sick servant. Jairus had a sick daughter. A woman from Canaan had a demon-possessed daughter. From sunrise to sunset Jesus heard one appeal after another: "My uncle can’t walk;" "My son cannot see;" "My wife is in pain." He heard so many requests that at times the disciples attempted to turn people away. (Matt. 15:22-23) Yet Jesus wouldn’t let them. "Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them." (Matt. 15:30) He never grew impatient at their requests. But he did grow impatient at the lack of one.

A father once brought his demon-possessed son to the disciples of Jesus. They attempted to help the boy but failed. When Jesus learned of their failure, he erupted in frustration. "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to me." (Matt. 17:17) Wow. Jesus is so uberpatient that any sign of impatience is a little disconcerting. So, what was the disciples’ oversight? Simple. They never took the boy to Jesus. Not in person and, apparently, not in prayer. They attempted to heal the boy without calling on Christ. He had to command them: "Bring him here to me."

Jesus had a strong word for that: unbelief. "Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, 'Why could we not cast it out?' So, Jesus said to them, 'Because of your unbelief.'" (vv. 19-20) Unbelief: attempting to help others without calling on Jesus. Belief: pounding on God's door at midnight. Doing whatever it takes to present people to Jesus. Kind of like Moses on Mt. Sinai.

When God saw the golden calf stunt, he was ready to wipe out the nation of Israel. They were eyewitnesses to ten plagues and one Red Sea opening. Their bellies were full of God-given manna and heaven-sent quail. But did they remember their Deliverer? No. They danced the night away in front of a homemade statue, instead, and God was not happy. “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Go down from this mountain, because your people, the people you brought out of the land of Egypt, have ruined themselves. They have quickly turned away from the things I commanded them to do . . . . I have seen these people, and I know that they are very stubborn. So now do not stop me. I am so angry with them that I am going to destroy them. Then I will make you and your descendants a great nation." (Ex. 32:7-10) Moses’ people. Dry grass in Pacific Palisades during a Santa Ana stood a better chance of survival.

Their only hope was their octogenarian leader, who'd met God, possibly on this same mountain some years earlier. If Moses had any influence, this was the time to use it. And he did. “[Moses] begged the LORD his God and said, ‘LORD, don't let your anger destroy your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with your great power and strength. Don't let the people of Egypt say, “The LORD brought the Israelites out of Egypt for an evil purpose. He planned to kill them in the mountains and destroy them from the earth.” So, stop being angry, and don't destroy your people.’" (vv. 11-12) God’s people.

Look at the passion of Moses. On his face one minute, in God's face the next. He's on his knees, pointing his finger, lifting his hands. He’s shedding tears and shredding his cloak. Wrestling like Jacob for the lives of his people. And how did God react? "So, the LORD changed his mind and did not destroy the people as he had said he might." (Ex. 32:14) That’s the promise of prayer – we can change God's mind.

God’s ultimate will is inflexible, but how he implements it is not. He doesn’t change in his character and purpose, but he does alter his strategy because of the appeals of his children. We do not change his intention, but we can influence his actions. After all, we are ambassadors for Christ. (2 Cor. 5:20) Ambassadors represent the king. They speak with the authority of the throne. If an ambassador sends a request to the king, will the king listen? Absolutely. If you, God's ambassador in this world, come to your King with a request, will he listen? Yes. You actually have a "seat with [Christ] in the heavens." (Eph. 2:6) You don't have a seat at the Supreme Court or in the House of Representatives, but you do have one that is far more strategic; you have a seat in the government of God.

Like a congressmember, you represent a district. You speak on behalf of your family, neighborhood, or softball team. Your sphere of influence is your region. And as you grow in faith, your district expands. God burdens you with a concern for orphans, or the homeless. You respond to these promptings by prayer. You are Moses in your cul-de-sac; Moses in your workplace; Moses in your classroom. You plead with God on other people's behalf. Intercessory prayer isn't rocket science. It acknowledges our inability and God's ability. We come with empty hands but high hopes. Why? Because God "is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think." (Eph. 3:20) He "will supply all [our] needs according to His riches." (Phil. 4:19) When God gives, he gives a gift that is "pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap." (Luke 6:38)

The apostle John wrote about prayer. In his vision of heaven John saw the prayers of the saints ascending like incense into the presence of God. “Then an angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake." (Rev. 8:5) That’s the power of prayer. You ask God for help and – bam! – fire falls to the earth. You lift your concerns to heaven and turbulence happens. So, knock on the midnight door. Stand up on behalf of those you love, and those you don’t. "Pray for those who hurt you." (Matt. 5:44)

The quickest way to douse the fire of anger is with a bucket of prayer. So, rather than rant, rave or seek revenge, pray. Jesus did. While hanging on the cross, he interceded for his enemies: "Father, forgive them; they don't know what they're doing." (Luke 23:34) Even Jesus left his enemies in God's hands. So, shouldn't we do the same? You are never more like Jesus than when you pray for others. Pray for those you love; pray for those you don't. Pray for this hurting world. Present their case to the Giver of bread and bring a grocery basket. You’ll have plenty of blessings to put in their pantry.

Grace,

Randy