End Well

To start the New Year off right, the best tactic is to end the old year right. Procrastination is the enemy of good intentions. By starting now to implement the kinds of actions you want to practice in 2010, you get a head start and begin to practice the skills and habits desired for the next year. Any time is a good time to change, but many start the New Year with Resolutions. The problem of course is that few of them are kept. Rather than making New Year's Resolutions, I begin each year with some thoughtful goals I want to achieve in the coming year.

I like to think in several categories; spiritual, family, health, finances, personal development, etc. I then decide what I need to change or do in order to go to the next level in that category. For example, spiritually to grow to be more of the man God wants me to be, I know that prayer, Bible reading, meditation, etc will be required. Am I practicing the spiritual disciplines that will build the qualities into my life that will result in the spiritual life I desire?

Financially, am I preparing appropriately for the future? In my younger years, I made it a priority to get out of credit card debt using credit only for the big ticket items like a house and car. In addition, am I working on an emergency fund and saving the percentage of my income that will prepare for my future and more importantly, provide for my wife if something happens to me and I can no longer care for her? Obviously, tithing comes off the top and is paid monthly. I fail to understand why ministers struggle with the concept of tithing. My financial journey began when I had nothing. Putting God first must include finances. "Where your treasure is there will your heart be also."

By making December a month of reflection on these and other issues, I get started before the New Year and begin to plan and act in ways that will carry over into 2010. When I end well, it is much more natural to begin well. It is never too late to start. Above all, always remember, "We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but God's purpose prevails." Proverbs 19:21 In the words of one of my heroes of the faith, "Pray like everything depends on God, and work like everything depends on you." Work at the little things and the big things will come into line.

Have a great 2010!

Leadership and Freezing Rain

Traveling to one of our churches this morning, we came across several accidents due to the freezing rain. Crumpled cars, backed up traffic, and the State Police forced us to turn around and head back home. A leadership lesson came out of the experience.

As leaders, we are expected to be out front, aggressively demonstrating by example the path that lies ahead. The vision pulls us forward toward the preferred future the Lord has for us. Caution can be thrown to the wind when motivated to be all we can be. This places leaders in an awkward position. Leading the way not only provides great opportunities for success, it also provides great opportunities for loosing control and spinning out, resulting in unintended disaster.

As leaders, we need to be aggressively pursuing the path laid out by the Lord. We must also keep a watchful eye for potential pitfalls and slick spots. Never get to the place where you believe you cannot fall into temptation. There are too many great leaders of the past and present that have experienced the trauma of the unexpected. Be the leader God has called you to be and keep a watchful eye on the dangers that lie ahead. Bridges may freeze before road surfaces.

Thanksgiving

Here I am, sitting in my daughters home, feeling both blessed and melancholy. Blessed because of the abundant gracious gifts from the hands of the Father. Family, friends, faith community, food :), festivities, etc., the list seems endless as I "count my many blessings, name them one by one" (that should take some of us back a few years to 'song services' of yesteryear). I recognize that through no merit of my own, my God has supplied all my needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

I am also melancholy. This week has been difficult for many of our friends and loved ones. Pastor Matson from Luzerne passed away this week as did Pastor Cindy from CLC, Bensalem and Pastor Dwan lost his brother. I have been praying for many fighting cancer and other ailments that are life challenges. I am also feeling the loss of my mother who went to be with the Lord over ten years ago. I find that from time to time, my sadness at her loss returns. Of course, I would not want to bring her back from her heavenly reward, but I still miss her.

Times of celebration, like Thanksgiving, are opportunities to rejoice, but they also are reminders of the struggle we face as well as the victories received. So often, we highlight the victories and neglect to reference the battles. I am reminded of the verse from the Psalms which states, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of them all."

This year, the turkey was delicious, but the greatest is in knowing that God is faithful in the good times and in the bad. I am thankful that the Lord will be that friend that will never leave or forsake me, and you.

Imagination

Why is it so difficult to reach people for Christ in America today? Why does it take so long for some of our friends and neighbors to see Jesus in us and come to receive Him as Lord? Why can we hear of multitudes of people responding to an invitation to come to Christ in some other nations of the world but seldom here in the USA?
Perhaps our friends see our inconsistencies and hypocrisy and reject Jesus because of our lack of character. It may be blamed on a previous “bad experience” in church. It may be due to our neglect of prayer and intercession on their behalf. All of these, without a doubt, contribute to the moral decline of America in general and the responsiveness of those we love and pray for in particular.

In addition to these, I am becoming more and more convinced that people in our culture are more difficult to reach than most others in the world. In part, the reason includes the fact that our culture has embraced the postmodern rejection of meta-narrative along with moral relativism, religious pluralism, and individual liberty. Creativity and innovation are a higher value to most than stability, continuity, and tradition. Everyone’s reality is defined by the individual rather than by an outside standard or authority. One author declared, “Reality has confronted imagination, and reality has lost.”

Recently, Marjie and I viewed a National Geographic documentary called “Monsters of the Deep.” Allegedly, the story was about the life journey of a pre-historic sea creature. The 45 minute film was approximately 90% computer generated animation depicting the conditions this little creature experienced from birth to death along with its adventures of escaping from the predators until finally experiencing a natural death. The entire story was so life like that one could easily assume the film depicted the actual life of this creature. However, the truth is that archaeologists found the skeletal remains of an animal with a shark tooth embedded in a bone, and from that one finding, the story was created known as “Monsters of the Deep.” Interesting! Educational? Never mind, if it is true or not. Imagination developed a story based on very little evidence but depicted it in a most believable way.

This is the context of our culture and how people get their information and how they form their views of the world around us. Their belief system is influenced by many such visual and audio presentations, usually without their critiquing the reality of what has been communicated.

What does this have to do with faith in Christ? Everything! As Christians, we deal with reality. The foundation of our faith is not based on imagination or virtual reality. It is founded on the historical fact of Jesus actual birth, life, death, and resurrection from the dead, and ascension into heaven. It calls for total commitment to a God who must be trusted and believed in as the Lord of all and Savior through his atoning sacrifice on the cross. Total, absolute commitment to the Creator of the universe is not what people are normally looking for. That would cost and require too much.
Here is my question: How can we communicate this greatest of all messages in a more creative, imaginative manner without compromising the truth of God’s Word? What have you done to spark people’s imagination through creative means in your church or ministry?

Utterance Gifts

Pentecostals are noted for belief in the current relevance of utterance gifts that are distributed by the Holy Spirit. When exercised within the context of the gathering of believers, the object is to allow for their expression without allowing for "wild fire" to take over and hijack the service by being dominated by personalities and personal agendas rather the edification of the body of Christ. Every pastor has struggled with how to encourage the appropriate use of these gifts without encouraging the misuse of these gifts.

The AG leadership has recently published three resources that I highly recommend to you for personal study as well as potential study by the people in the local congregation. All three are short and very readable but direct and helpful. I encourage each of our pastors to consider how one or more of these might assist in the healthy development of the saint's use of the utterance gifts. These can be purchased from GPH or call headquarters in Springfield. They are...

1. When the Spirit Speaks, by Warren Bullock,
2. Living in the Spirit, by George O. Wood, and
3. Divine Order, compiled by Randy Hurst

I trust these will be an asset to you in teaching and training your people in the proper use of the gifts of the Spirit.

Eurasia Experience

We just completed our Ministers Enrichment yesterday morning at the Philip Bongiorno Conference Center in Carlisle, PA. Many expressed the impact the week had upon their lives and their renewed passion of reaching our world for Christ. I would like to invite you to share what was most meaningful to you. Was it...

1. The worship and prayer time,
2. Huldah Buntain,
3. One of Omar Beiler's messages,
4. One of the workshops,
5. The amazing meals,
6. The Eurasia Experience itself on Tuesday evening,
7. Interacting with friends, or
8. Something else you want to reference?

If you were not able to be with us, you missed a good one. (I hope they all are, of course.) Perhaps you would want to comment on something that particularly impacted you heart.

G-20 Summit

All eyes interested and concerned about the current global economic issues will be directed to our own Steel City on September 24-25. Appropriately, leaders of the top twenty economic nations of our world will gather for discussion, planning, and collaboration on next steps in dealing with the financial challenges now being faced.

There are three points I would like to make on this blog.

First, prayer for our leaders is called for in Scripture and this provides an opportunity to exercise the God-given mandate around a specific issue that has very practical implications. If we as believers can't be motivated to pray for our President and other leaders of the world during this event, I doubt much short of a threat of war or terrorist attacks will prompt us to action. Therefore, I encourage us to take some time on these two days to petition the Lord for protection, wisdom, and His favor during these gatherings. These leaders may or may not seek the Lord's guidance, but we can pray for that for them regardless.

Second, a reminder is in order that the kingdom of God is not dependent on the economic conditions of the world. While we all realize that fact, we sometimes allow the news media's reports to give far to much influence on the way we think of our work and service for the Kingdom of God. Nations rise and fall, but the promise of our Lord remains that He will build His Church.

Third, when was the last time your family had an economic summit? Perhaps I could ask it this way: Is your financial house in order? Finances are tough for many in our nation and that is true for those of us in ministry as well as those in secular employment. Do all you can to eliminate debt. Credit card debt is the worst method of financing family needs. We must all take personal responsibility for our finances. If we want God's favor on our finances, we should be Scriptural and give the Lord our best, not our left overs.

May God grant His blessing and favor as we seek first His Kingdom. He will add all these other things to us as well.

Jesus, Others, You

As a child, we were given the real definition of joy; Jesus, Others, and You. What a wonderful way to spell joy!

It seems the older one gets the more significant those early lessons of life become. Simply put, when life is all about our own issues, concerns, even interests and passions, we easily become focused on self. It doesn't seem that way at first because we are so taken with the important issues close at hand that we loose sight of what is really important. Our goals, ambitions, even calling from God drive us to activity, efforts and they capture our attention. In our maturity, we easily 'grow' past the weightier issues in our walk with Him.

I am not advocating an anti-intellectual approach to our walk with Christ. I do not believe the Lord wants us to put our brain on a shelf and not use it, after all, we are called to love the Lord with alll our heart, soul, mind, and strength. However, over thinking, analyzing, complicating the simplicity of Christ we can forfeit the joy of the Lord that is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

Maybe it is time to return to the definition of joy. Rather than trying to find joy in what we do, even what we do for the Lord, it is time to get back to the relationship that really matters. Rather than being so busy for the Lord, take the time to be with the Lord. Let your joy be restored and with it you will find your strength will be restored as well.

RTB = Reasons to Believe

The Connect Group of which I am a part just finished reading one of Hugh Ross's recent books called Why the Universe Is the Way It Is. You may or may not agree with everything he says (like for example, the debate between young earth and ancient earth theorists), but this volume delivers on giving us reasons to believe from a scientist's point of view.

This apologetic argues for a creator, the uncaused cause, who initiated the singularity we read about in Genesis 1. Those who study the origins of the universe in the scientific community have reached the conclusion that the universe has a beginning. (No surprise to creationists of course.) There was something or someone outside of the cosmos that began this process in what they call the Big Bang.

This has enormous significance to those of us who believe in miracles. If that One initiated the universe in what could easily be called a miracle of creation, why cannot that same One intervene within his creation to perform another miracle by superseding the laws of physics within the time and space continuum. The Virgin Birth, the Resurrection, Ascension, etc. are not difficult for the one who created something out of nothing. Turning water into wine, multiplying bread and fish to feed 4 or 5 thousand people, healing blind eyes, and raising the dead don't seem to far fetched in comparison to the creation of the universe. If he can do all of these, why could He not also accomplish the miraculous among us today?

The next time you have the opportunity on a clear night, take another look at the stars in the sky. Let your mind embrace the wonder of what God has done. Be in awe of the One who said, "Let there be light" and it was done. What an indescribable, incredible God we serve!

Gratitude-RGE

This weekend was marked with the celebration of Palm Sunday, when believers around the world are reminded of Jesus entry into Jerusalem offering himself as the King of Israel. Knowing this King is the greatest of all blessings and calls for the highest of praise to our King. In the midst of the praise and thanksgiving, I was reminded of three additional blessings. They were unexpected, for my mind was preoccupied by what are more noble reasons to rejoice; salvation, redemption, the atonement, justification, and the Lordship of Christ. Yet, I felt overwhelmed with thanksgiving at three amazing blessings.

1. Rain - The simple fact that rain falls from the sky on the just and the unjust speaks of the incredible grace of God to us all. Normally, blue skies and the warmth of the summer sun are my preferences. But without the rain, too much of a good thing can bring drought and famine. Rain changes that and brings life and vitality to the ground. I am grateful for rain.

2. Grass - I don't like to mow it, but someone must do the job. Grass demands the opportunity of pushing its way up through the earth. Gravel, pavement, just about anything eventually gives way to the buried seed as it reaches toward the sky. Simple yet profound, grass may be pretty as a well manicured lawn, but it serves a greater purpose. In fact, grass is a primary beginning link in the food chain. Without grass, the animal life on this planet would not last long. It provides a basic necessity for the existence of so much of life.

3. Earthworms - These little creatures are usually unseen, but they provide an amazingly indispensable service in softening the earth by tunneling under the surface. Some use worms to catch fish. They are also beneficial for the ground's nutrient value through their digestive processes. Unseen, unnoticed, and usually thought of as unimportant, they simply do what they do.

Gratitude springs from an awareness of God's gifts. Often we are recipients of his grace without our being aware of his gifts to us. These three little items may seem unimportant, but indeed, they are vital to our very existence. Rain, grass, and earthworms may not be at the top of your list of items to appreciate, but they do represent God's grace to us, if we recognize them or not. May God give us hearts to appreciate His bountiful gifts.

Prophetic Warnings

Some have inquired regarding the recent prophetic warning from David Wilkerson. Several thoughts may be appropriate. I will not quote his statements in this blog since they have been distributed widely already. You may Google a search if you want the direct references.

1. I have long held David Wilkerson with high respect. I believe him to be a man of God who conducts himself with integrity and godliness. Yes, I do view him as a modern day prophet.

2. That being said, today's prophets are not to be viewed with the same degree of authority or inerrancy as the prophets or apostles in Scripture. They may be anointed but still fallible. Therefore, their words, including Bro. Wilkerson's, must be weighted in light of Scripture and tested for accuracy.

3. Bro. Wilkerson does not give any dates as to when the coming disaster will occur. Those who have followed his ministry for a long period of time are aware that he has previously given similar words of warning.

4. The prophet calls people to repentance. Action should be directed toward righteous living and turning from sin. The practical word was personal for him; i.e., having a month supply of water, non-perishable foods and toiletries on hand because when this occurs the grocery stores shelves will rapidly empty out. To me that sounds like a wise course of action under most circumstances. Many live from paycheck to paycheck with little room for reserves. (As a child, I remember my mother canning green beans, peaches, corn and many other items for the cold winter months. Not a bad idea.) Notice Bro. Wilkerson does not tell believers to flee to the mountains or any such thing. Panic is not called for, rather trust in the Lord and good common sense.

5. It would be unwise to focus the people of your congregation on the fear of catastrophe and create a panic. The times are uncertain and many are fearful. Believers need not be fearful to be circumspect. How would hoarding food, water and other essentials glorify God? There is no way to collect enough of those essentials to care for everyone in your community. How would you decide who to help and who not to help if the disaster does occur? Also, remember, a day with the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years as a day.

6. The pastoral role is to encourage people to walk with Christ, knowing the days are evil. There will continue to be wars and rumors of wars, famine, pestilence, earthquakes, etc. and believers need to be reminded of that reality. As Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled!"

7. We believe in the eminent return of our Lord. Let us watch and pray, looking up, for our redemption draws nigh!

BLESSINGS

Navigating the journey of life and ministry would be so much more difficult and not nearly as satisfying without the blessings the Lord gives along the path. The blessings I am thinking about today are the women He has placed in my life.

About ten years ago my mother went to be with the Lord. What a loss! I still wish I could call and talk with her. It is not the loss of her great baking skills that I miss the most, although her red velvet cake was the best! Just to hear her voice and for her to remind me she is praying for me would be so good! Next, I am thinking of my mother-in-law. Earlier this week she called and wanted to bring dinner over for Marjie and me. We had a feast! She is awesome! Probably the greatest evangelist (yes I did say evangelist) I have ever know. She never preached in a crusade, but her heart beats for friends who have yet to meet Jesus personally. Then there is my granddaughters, all three of them! They are the cutest, smartest, most fun little darlings I can imagine! Special is an understatement. They melt me! Then I think of my daughter and daughter-in-law. These two young women are incredible women of God who are great mothers and wives. How I got so "lucky" to have them as a part of my family is beyond my wildest wish. Finally, there is my wife Marjie, the primary reason my offspring turned out so incredibly wonderful. There are no words that express how she has enriched my life. She exemplifies the woman depicted in the classic passage, Proverbs 31.

Many other people have significantly influenced me through the years, but these members of the fairer gender bring such joy, pleasure, fulfillment, and focus that it just feels to me like I should tell some body (That is another truth from Proverbs 31, "the city gates" issue). Perhaps you have a similar testimony. I often thank God for the things he has done for me, but I need to thank the people he has placed in my life that have blessed me. Maybe there are some ladies you would want to express gratitude to as well. I often fail to express my appreciation to most of those who are such a support to me, but none as much as these ladies. Without them, where would I be? Thank you, Lord, for godly women who make such a profound difference in this world.

Language

The language we use expresses the condition of our heart. The writer of Scripture under the anointing of the Spirit states, "From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Recently, someone used a four letter word in conversation then followed that up with, "Pardon my French." Obviously, the word wasn't French. What was his heart's condition? I don't know, but something was wrong.

The media, including news, film, and entertainment, often use language that at one time was not allowed on the air ways. The standard continues to change with some networks pushing the envelop as far as they can. As followers of Jesus, it is easy to become callous to what we hear and barely take notice. When otherwise family entertainment takes on this type of language, one wonders if the old timers who preached against TV weren't right after all.

What has become even more troublesome to me is the trend by some ministers to use language for effect that will shock or startle the audience, or make them sound more hip or relevant. The use of the four letter words, you know what they are, can sometimes get a response from listeners, especially the younger generation who may be more influenced by Hollywood than by the Word of God. While I have never heard of a pastor loosing credentials because of the use of fowl language, I have heard pastors loose credibility because of an improper use of language.

We are constantly bombarded by images and ideas from the world in which we live. The Scripture, not culture, must be our source of faith and practice. God's Word still sets the standard. "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their need, that it may benefit those who listen" Ephesians 4:29.

Trust

Two names in the news struck me today as a contrast in character; Sully and A-Rod. Now, understand that I do not have personal knowledge of either of these gentlemen, however, they present a tremendous contrast for people in our nation. Sully, the reluctant hero, just did his job and saved over a hundred lives in the process. His expression to the media credited his team members with hero status, not him. One report indicated the co-pilot stated to the rescue workers, "We only got these people into the water (the Hudson), while you got them out," giving credit to the rescue workers of New York City. America looks up to these five crew members with admiration and respect. We may look at the people in the cockpit of the plane we fly in a little differently the next time we go to fly.

A-Rod was "young and naive" according to his statement in an interview. He wanted to be the best player of all time, and now... Well, all his accomplishments are suspect. He may be a great player and have set many records, but he will never be looked at in the same way again. The would-be hero and roll model has lost the respect of his fans and most of the sports world. How tragic! He may be a wonderful individual, but the shame will be a part of his record.

We that are involved in ministry were once looked on with respect and admiration. People looked to their pastor as a man of God who was worthy of respect and loyalty. From our own circle have come Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker, and most recently, Ted Haggard. The lack of trust that results from such high profile individuals is disturbing to say the least. To some, we will be forever tarnished because of what in some people's minds is the association that exists between us and them. I am very happy to leave the judgement of others to the Lord, but we still must deal with the repercussions of other's actions.

When we loose the trust of those to whom we are called to serve, our ministry to them is over. We must live up to what we preach. We have a responsibility to act and live in such a way as to be an example to the flock. Some, even behind the pulpit, wish to be great and attain notoriety. Perhaps we should re-evaluate whether we are closer to A-Rod or Sully in our ambition and quest for greatness. Above all, let us be trust-worthy and honor our Lord so that our testimony will be pleasing to the Lord and we will honor Him.

The Big Day

Tomorrow is the day many have been looking forward to for a long time. Many hours have been spent in preparation. The opposition has been evaluated from every vantage point imaginable. The strengths and weaknesses have been scrutinized so that there will be few if any surprises. The defense is ready to go. The offense knows what to expect and how to make their plays. The plan is in place. The warriors are ready. The Big Day is almost here. Many have speculated about the potential outcome. The countdown has begun.

Tomorrow will be a day of victory for some and defeat for others. Which side will you be on? You see, lives are in the balance. Their eternal destiny is at stake. Every Sunday is Superbowl Sunday because it pits the forces of the Kingdom against the minions of hell. The preparation is the key. Just showing up to "do your things" is not acceptable. Too much is at stake! A prayer-less, careless, lethargic preacher would be like the coach leading his team into the Superbowl without any thought of a game plan for how the game should be played. The eternal risks are too great for that to happen. Individual's destiny will be determined by the results of what occurs on this most important day of the week.

The Steelers and the Cardinals will do battle on the field in Tampa Bay. They do it for the pride of the ring they hope to wear, the trophy they want to receive, and the paycheck to be enjoyed. We prepare for Sunday knowing that so much more is at stake. How can we approach this day without the overwhelming sense of the importance of what we are preparing to accomplish? Get ready! The Big Day is almost here. Let's do battle for the Lord!

Self-Deception

Samson may be the classic example of someone greatly used by God whose life ended in disaster. How can someone fall to such depths after experiencing the awesome power of God and moving in the gifts of God? Sadly, things don't seem to change much. Today, ministers fall into the enemies traps just as Samson did. No one is beyond temptation and the enemies lies. It is too easy to believe in ones own abilities and ignore the warning signs that are often all too obvious to others.

The story of Samson and Delilah is not far removed from some in our world today. Delilah enticed Samson to explain the secret of his great strength. Three times he gave her a false explanation, each time coming closer to the truth. Each time she played him for a fool and tried his explanation to take away his strength. When he finally told her the truth, she predictably cut off his hair. What was he thinking? Why would he reveal his secret to her and expose himself to potential disaster?

Self-deception is a terrible danger. Samson fell in love and the rest was all down hill. Any time a man or woman of God allows themselves the freedom to compromise with evil and toy with the world's devises, he/she is going down a road of no return. Anyone could have seen where Samson was headed, but he didn't know what was happening. He was so confident in himself, that he did not recognize the obvious.

Sadly, the worst was yet to come. Judges 16:20 records the words, "He did not know that the Lord had left him." Self-deception can do horrible things to people. It can lead a person to trust in their own ability, be over confident in themselves, and not walk in obedience to God's Word. Humility seldom comes up as a high priority in characteristics desired in leaders. Yet, it may be one of the most neglected and most needed for leaders in the church today. Samson can teach us much about what not to do. The lesson for today is this, don't trust yourself. Walk in humility before the Lord. The alternative is self-deception which leads to disaster.

Inauguration

Excitement, anticipation, and hope mark the nation as we await the inauguration of our new President. Many have set the bar so high for the new President that it is hard believe anyone could live up to the hype. Others criticize to the point of negativism with unsubstantiated rumor and gossip unbecoming for followers of Jesus. The Bible calls for believers to pray for our leaders. We need not agree with all policies to recognize our responsibility to intercede for those in authority over us. Politics have never been the real hope of America or any other nation on earth. Our hope is in the Lord. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." The responsibility for righteousness rests with the people of God.

The media covers the events leading up to the swearing in ceremony providing a view of the party atmosphere that surrounds the event. I am reminded of another "party" that is coming, I believe in the near future. The day is coming when the King will return and begin his rule here on this planet. Economic challenges, peace in the Middle East, wars around the world will be under His dominion and control. The excitement, anticipation, and hope will be fulfilled in Jesus. We do pray for our nation and the issues that impact our world. However, our hope is in Christ. He alone will have the ultimate answers to our sin sick, disease ridden, war torn world. Even so, come Lord Jesus!

Week of Prayer

The first week of each year prayer is emphasized in the Assemblies of God. While prayer should be a constant in the life of believers and Pentecostal churches all year long, the first week is a special opportunity to seek the Lord. In his short volume, Pierced by the Word, John Piper provides a meditation on Colossians 4:2-4 that is instructive for us.

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word,
To declare the mystery of Christ...
that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

Piper makes five points regarding prayer.
1. Continue steadfastly in prayer; perseverance in prayer yields results (Luke 11:8, 18:1-8)
2. Be watchful in your prayers; be mentally, spiritually, and physically alert in prayer (Mark 14:37-38). Being alert keeps us true to Scripture and attune to the voice of the Spirit as well as to the needs around us.
3. Be thankful in prayer; thanksgiving lifts our eyes beyond our need to the provider who can do all things.
4. Pray for an open door for the word; receptive hearts in both the church and unbelievers are essential to the work of the Spirit.
5. Pray for the preachers; no preacher, no matter the talent, can accomplish what the Spirit alone can do. Without Christ, we can do nothing.

May prayer permeate all we do throughout 2009 so that we may effectively proclaim His truth for the building of the Kingdom of God.

It is finished!

Jesus' last words on the cross ring with a simplicity and profoundness that thrills his disciples and encourages their hearts, knowing that the work of salvation has once and for all been accomplished on their behalf. Nothing is missing and there is no lack in what is needed for our eternal souls. All we need do is to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling." Some might claim this is a contradiction in the Scripture; i.e. that He has done it all but that we have something to do. There is no contradiction here at all. The opportunity for us to participate in his plan provides great fulfillment, joy, and challenge to those of us who love him and desire above all things to please our Father.

Navigating the journey of life and ministry becomes so much more joyful when it is recognized that He has completed the work required but that we can join with him in his plan. As I reflect on my own life of ministry, my most frustrating times were when I took the full responsibility for ministry and momentarily shouldered the task of building the church on my own. That my friend, is a load no earthly leader can achieve. In fact, it is not up to you or me to make "His" Church grow. Only he can do that. When we find ourselves building our own church, we effectively leave him out of the process and are taking the responsibility of doing our own thing. Serving the Lord in ministry does not always mean success from a perspective of finances, numerical growth, or human achievement. I do believe that God calls us to effective ministry, but I have been around too long to believe that success in ministry can always be measured through the natural eye.

The finished work of Christ on the cross assures the believer that God is sufficient to accomplish the work he wants done. He will do that through you and me as well. We obviously have a role to play in his kingdom but don't shoulder it alone this year. We can work for him. But we must never work without him. When we work with him we find his yoke is easy and his burden is light. Whatever 2009 may have in store, this I know. Jesus has completed the work of salvation and our job is to proclaim that "It is finished!"