The Feet Of Jesus

"... One thing is needful: and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her" Luke 10:42.

Church people instinctively spend a lot of time at church; not just per instruction, but more as if salvation were obtained solely by activities within the walls. We show up dressed to impress ready to do work spiritually and physically week after week beginning with the illustrious task of generously giving everyone a smile and a handshake. As long as we're inside church walls, our attitudes and behavior couldn't be better. Some Christians show up just for the socialization which our "Labor of Love" provides and for no other reason.

But, when you deal with us same "Super Saved" people outside church, you're shocked at the attitudes, the bad language, the impatience, the quick tempers, the bad habits and all the other sinful behaviors being harbored behind closed doors like fugitives hiding from the law. Church people lie; church people steal; church people gamble; church people drink liquor; church people smoke weed; church people do everything that "un-churched" people do including casually having sex with other church people. My question is, how can people who spend so much time at church act so ugly outside of church walls?

The popular answer is to say that many church people aren't really saved; which is true. But there is a deeper, more firmly embedded issue affecting a far larger portion of church patrons than does simple hypocrisy. If you've ever wondered why church people act differently outside of church than inside (even if you've wondered this about yourself) here is the answer...

It's because many church people spend a disproportionate amount of time "tasking" at church. We work on usher boards; we work in choirs; we work in the pulpit; we work in children's ministries; we work in young adult ministries; we work in "Seasoned Saints" ministries; we work in the social hall; we work in the vestibule; we work in the parking lot... Even members who aren't attached to an auxiliary have to work, "Raise Your Hands... ", "Say Amen... ", "Touch Your Neighbor... ", "Touch Your Neighbor Again... ", "Everybody On Your Feet... ", "Be seated... ", "Everybody Rise... ", "Be seated... ", "All Rise... ", "Remain Standing... ", "Now, follow the directions of the usher to your right... “That’s a lot of work!

I'm not saying it's wrong to work at church. In fact, most of the "tasks" that are done are necessary for the "flow of service". It's just that all of us fervent church workers don't always manage our time at church properly. Church service is meant to be a gathering of believers for the purpose of strengthening the saints and for the worship of our Sovereign God. But instead of being strengthened and worshipping, a lot of church people spend an awful lot of time disengaged, distracted and busy working. There is a difference between being at church to work and being at church to sit at the "Feet of Jesus".

To emphasize this point, let’s go to the Word...

In Luke chapter 10, we have a very popular story about busyness. This story applies to so many church people that even if you've just recently read this story, these four verses still warrant yet another thorough look today.

In context, we see Jesus traveling outside of Jerusalem conducting his normal behavior (healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, setting people free, etc...). Jesus kept to the outskirts of Jerusalem because it was not yet time for him to make His triumphal entrance into the city. Later, he would enter Jerusalem, be betrayed for a few coins, be arrested, scorned, assaulted and then murdered. But, on the third day after the murder, he would be spotted in Jerusalem again raised from the dead by our All Powerful God.

So, the story begins with Jesus arriving in a village called Bethany, about 2 miles from Jerusalem (John 11:18). There, he had friends; Martha and her sister Mary who were awaiting his arrival at their home. As the story goes, Martha was busy doing many things preparing for Jesus to arrive.

We can't really fault Martha for being so busy. Remember, Jesus was not traveling alone. Along with Jesus and his disciples was always a "multitude". Even a small crowd could easily have been upwards of 1,000 people. Imagine if your pastor was coming to your house this afternoon and bringing with him the entire church congregation. You'd probably want to straighten up a little too; maybe put out some chairs, cook some food, etc.

When Jesus arrived, apparently Martha shot into high-gear trying to finish the preparations. But Mary, on the other hand, immediately sat down at Jesus' feet to hear what he had to say. And that's when Martha quickly become irritated. The bible says Martha was "cumbered" or uncomfortable. We know Martha had even become angry by the tone of her question to Jesus. She asked,

"... Do you even care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to come help me." Luke 10:40 NIV.

Martha's question was worded in such a way that Jesus was expected to give a command for Mary to get up and join Martha "in the kitchen" so to speak; otherwise, he didn't "care" about her strife. The dilemma was that there was much work left to be done, but the one they had been preparing for had arrived. They ultimately had to decide whether to complete the task at hand at all cost, or abandon their posts at the last minute for Jesus. Mary basically dropped her broom; but Martha decided to continue her noble work even though Jesus was in the room.

This is the problem with many church people today. The demands of a full schedule and a packed house make it difficult to stop serving and hear the Word; so many of us choose not to. We push ourselves to accomplish more and more "for Christ" even if it means missing bible study, missing the fellowship and being absent (even while in the room) during a sermon or two.

Whenever you move by your own driving force, there is rarely time to stop and hear the Word. There's not enough time to study, no time to pray and never time to worship the God of Creation. When you're driving yourself to complete tasks, you will easily become too busy.

How do you know when you've become too busy?

When you come to church early and stay late, but stay so far behind the scenes that no one knows whether you came at all, you’re too busy. When you're not studying the Word of God at all other than to post an occasional verse on Facebook, you're too busy. When you can't pray more than 2-minutes without worrying about how bad traffic must be getting while you’re there praying, you're too busy. When you can't remember the last time you sat through an entire sermon from YOUR pastor, you’re too busy.

Anyone who feels they must continue working while the Word of God is being delivered, is overly occupying themselves; too busy. Martha was overly occupied, too busy and distracted by her work. She was moving by her own driving force to accomplish everything she could possibly accomplish "for Jesus"; while ignoring Jesus. She let her work take precedence over the fact that Jesus, the Savior of Mankind, the Lover of her Soul, the Lamb of God, Jesus the Christ of Nazareth had arrived; and... He was speaking!

When the Living Word of God arrives, it is time to drop the broom and sit at the feet of Jesus to listen. There is nothing more important at church or anywhere else than every Word that proceeds from the mouth of our Lord. Work is necessary, but it must be prioritized. And sometimes priorities have to be shuffled at the last minute if suddenly there is a Word from the Lord.

Jesus said Martha was worried about many things. She had troubled herself with peripheral concerns, but there was only one thing of importance at that moment. Mary, however, acted correctly,

"... one thing is needful: and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her" Luke 10:42.

Jesus calls his Word the "good part". The meal Martha prepared was nice, I'm sure; but her physical meal was only temporary. Mary's priorities were in order. She abandon the work and positioned herself to enjoy what would last her throughout her lifetime; the Word.

Many Christians show up at church to "put time in" as if there was a time-clock hanging on the double doors that you punch when you go in. And when they're done, they feel better for having "churched" for 2-hours, but leave in the same condition to pick up the same problems we left at the door 2-hours before. Unless there is a true encounter with the Word, everything will remain the same.

Just look at your church... When the Word is preached, how many church people are doing something unrelated to the sermon such as balancing their checkbook or surfing Facebook on their iPhone? How many are outside of the sanctuary in the back of the church, in the kitchen preparing food or in the parking lot on the phone? How many are out front talking to someone who didn't even come to church that day? And where in the world do musicians go whenever a pastor starts a sermon???

Bottom line: When a Word from God is in the building, the work must stop. It's time for every person to open their bible (or bible app) and get the highlighter ready. Get your water and go to the bathroom while the choir is singing; so that when the Word of God arrives, you'll be positioned to partake of the one thing that is needful. The church service cannot change your life, but Jesus Christ can. Jesus is the living Word; the needful thing; so don't allow him to be taken from you by distractions or by being too busy to listen.

The next time you attend church, please don't miss the "good part"! Once church folks start spending more time at the "Feet of Jesus", attitudes will change; habits will change; total behaviors will change. We will begin to see Christians acting just as pristine outside of church as they do inside. EVERYONE EVERYWHERE will get a handshake and a smile. EVERYONE EVERYWHERE will see Christians perform as the new creatures God wants us to be. And we'll be anxious to invite even more people to join us at the "Feet of Jesus" so that he can change their life the way he changed ours!

Resist or Be DEVOURED!

In the book of 1st Peter, Jesus' disciple says this about Satan,

"Be sober; be watchful: Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about seeking who he may devour... "1 Peter 5:7-9

This is reminiscent of what is written in the book of Job. In that story, the angels were in the process of "presenting themselves" to God; which, in the text seemed like more of a general occurrence than a one-time incident. In any case, one of the angels who "reported" was Satan, the enemy of God himself. According to our record, God began a conversation with His enemy by asking him a question. We know the question was significant because if it wasn't, it would not appear in the thousand year old text of the ancient scrolls which Peter referenced, nor would it still be around for us to study today. The question was this:

"Where have you been?" Job 1:7

According to scripture, Satan answered,

"I've been hunting... "

The King James verbiage uses the phrase "going to and fro... " as in pacing. The bible says Satan had come from prowling the Earth and "walking around" in it (which is an interesting study in and of itself). This action is the same behavior which Peter described; the activity of a lion looking for prey.

I want to focus for a moment on Satan's answer to God. The thing is, Satan had lied to mankind prior to this conversation. The devil had asked Adam and Eve a question, then he lied about the answer to his own question in an attempt to confuse them (Genesis 3:3). However, now he was being questioned by God and for once, the father of lies had to tell the truth. In my opinion, Satan was being forced to speak information which he'd preferred have never been recorded about him; as it gives us insight into his evil behavior. Because of this conversation, we know that the devil is "seeking".

Seeking is a verb; an action. Seeking means to go in search of something or someone. It means going on a quest; but in the case of the devil, there is evil intent directed towards what is found so the most appropriate verb is, as I said earlier, "hunting".

Satan is hunting for a victim. He's looking for someone to make his prey. In other words, Satan looks over thousands and even millions of people on Earth to find someone who would have woken in the morning with no intention of falling victim to the enemy of God; but if Satan has his way, that person will be devoured on that day.
The interesting thing this conversation revealed is not Satan's evil intentions to make someone his prey; it's the mere fact that Satan has to "seek". This passage tells us the devil must search for someone to devour; which means he can't devour just anyone.

You see, if Satan could devour anyone, his answer to God would have been different. If there were no limit to Satan's devouring, then when God asked "Where have you been... " Satan would not have said "I'm hunting... "; he would have responded "I'm devouring people". But he didn't say that, and he could not lie to the God who made him. Satan's use of a verb to answer the Almighty God's question was an admission that in his pursuit to devour, he must first investigate. He's got to actively search for a victim; he's got to probe and then probe again to find the person whom he "can" devour. He's looking for someone that is vulnerable to him.

This also means Satan cannot devour everyone he finds; only certain people. Meaning, in Satan's looking and investigating, there is something particular he is looking for. He has a criteria, a "checklist" so to speak. When Satan examines a person, something about that person will determine whether Satan "can" or whether he "cannot" devour.

So, knowing that Satan is a "seeker", the important thing for us to know is what he's seeking. In order to avoid being devoured, we've got to have a clear understanding of what makes a person vulnerable to him. Satan is hunting, but what is he hunting for? Once we understand his criteria, we can make certain we do not carry the traits he is in search of.

Here is where I believe the criteria for what Satan measures is found. In the book of James the 4th chapter, you'll find this profound statement,

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you... " James 4:7

Fleeing is another verb; another action. By definition, it literally means to run away quickly as from danger or a pursuer. In my understanding, fleeing is nearly the opposite of seeking. In seeking, you move towards what you search for; in fleeing you move urgently away fearing it may pursue you! James tells us if we resist the devil, he will move urgently away from us as if we were pursuing him. Which means individuals who resist Satan will cause him to do the opposite of what his intentions were when he approached. But the individuals who do not resist, Satan "can" devour.

So, according to scripture, Satan is stalking; going"to and fro" looking for someone who does not resist him; but those who resist him, he flees from. We believe this was true on the day Satan talked to God about it, and this is still true today. Satan is looking today for someone who does not know how to resist him; that's the one who he "can" devour.

Here's something else to point out in the conversation recorded in the book of Job. God asked Satan a second question which is just as significant as the first. God asked,

"Have you considered my servant Job?" Job 1:8

Here's the thing to take notice in Satan's response to the second question,

"... You have put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has... You have blessed the work of his hands... his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land... " Job 1:10

In response to the second question, Satan listed the reasons why he felt he had not been able to devour Job. The interesting thing is that, since Satan had this list on Job and knew all these details about Job's life, it meant that the answer to God's second question was,

"YES!"

YES, he had considered God's servant Job. YES, he had investigated him. YES, he had searched him. YES, he probed him. But he found that Job was not vulnerable.

Job was someone Satan knew for a fact he could not devour because Job had already made the decision to RESIST. And, according to what's written in the book of James, Satan would have had to fearfully run from Job; not the other way around. This is not an assumption; it specifically says this about Job in the first verse of the first chapter of the book,

"... This man (Job) was blameless and upright; he feared God and SHUNNED Evil... He was the greatest man of all the people of the east... " Job 1:1

"Shun" is yet another verb. This means to keep away from or to take great pains to avoid. This verb denotes choice. Job could have easily given in and become vulnerable to the devil (as his children were according to Job 1:4), but he chose not to. God considered Job "blameless and upright"; not because he never made a mistake (later in the book, Job's response to suffering is far from perfect), but because of the way he "shunned" evil. And for the same reason, Satan initially "shunned" Job.

The ability to resist the devil is in us all. Better proficiency at "shunning evil" is developed over time. But the total lack of resistance to evil is what makes one vulnerable. The bible calls evil "godlessness", "wickedness", "futile" and "foolish",

"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people who suppress the truth by their wickedness... their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened... " Romans 1:19 - 21.

Those are precisely the qualities Satan is looking for; the godless; the wicked; those whose lives have become futile and whose foolish hearts are darkened. Every Earthly day, Satan is hunting individuals who have not chosen to "shun" him. His quest is to separate those souls from the God of Creation PERMANENTLY. But he's fleeing with all of his might from believers who have clearly developed their God-given ability to RESIST.

So now, my question is to you...

Knowing that Satan can only devour those who do not resist, tell me honestly... are you vulnerable? Are you someone Satan can easily devour and has often done so in the past? Does Satan "stalk" you; knock you around, disrupt your life, and your family's life, and all your friend's lives... and no matter how you run from him, you can't get away? Or do you make him sorry he engaged you in a tussle by resisting him so defiantly that he and all his demons end up having to cowardly flee from you as if YOU were a roaring lion?

Nobody is perfect, but my question to you is simply, have you made the decision to hold-out? Have you made the decision to abstain? Have you made the decision to RESIST? If you haven't, when will you? If there are cigarettes in your car right now, when are you going start to resist? If there's a condom in your wallet or purse, when are you going to start to resist? If you are involved in something dishonest or illegal, when are you going to start to resist?

If you know you've got some vulnerabilities (especially if you've got quite a few vulnerabilities), then start resisting today! Be sober so you can withstand! And when Satan makes his next approach to offset your life and devour your family and friends with violence, sex, money, drugs, adultery, prostitution, or any other type of evil...

RESIST... OR BE DEVOURED!

Finding Your Part

“My dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the WORK of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain…” I Corinthians 15:58

In order to prosper in this life; in order to flourish; in order to succeed, God is instructing that you WORK! You must do what God has given you to do. The successes you reach will depend on God’s plan for your life, but no success will come until you do the part assigned to you in that plan.

To proceed in this discussion, I want to focus a little on this question: "What is your part?"

You can only do the work you are supposed to do when you clearly understanding what that work is.  In order to see the results you are so anxious to see, you must know God's instructions; otherwise you will find yourself overly busy consumed by work which you will eventually realize actually serves no purpose.

Here’s the truth; contrary to what many preachers, prophets and bishops have been saying over the years, there is no person on this Earth whose job is exclusively to tell YOU what God wants YOU to do (and I’d be suspicious of anyone who says different). Preachers may have an inclination about you; some may even have a God-given prophecy concerning you. But the real revelation of who you are and what you are supposed to be doing is the responsibility of the Spirit of the Living God Himself.  The prophet Jeremiah quotes God saying this;

“’I know the plans I have for you’ declares the lord,…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. THEN you will call on me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you…’”  Jeremiah 29: 11-12

God says I know the plans “I” have for you.  Revelation concerning your path is God’s responsibility; its literally between you and your creator. God can reveal His omnipotent will in a single moment of a single conversation, or a series of conversations, or within the years of a decade, or two decades. Or God can reveal just the beginnings of a massive plan to you that will span across your entire life, involve 2 or 3 generations and your children’s grandchildren will complete it. No one can rush God to reveal His plan to you, and by the same token, no one can stop God from revealing His plan to you.

However, to answer the question "What is Your Part?", you must understand that there are certain universal things in God’s plan which apply to us all.  1 Thessalonians says this,

“...You were instructed how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more...” I Thessalonians 4:1

This scripture is important in identifying our part in God’s plan universally.  I know you have an agenda. I know there are things you are working towards.  I have plans I’m working on too.  But sometimes we can get so focused on our own agenda that we forget our primary agenda is to find what's pleasing to God.  This passage is a reminder that we've learned how to please God for one specific reason: “…to do this more and more”! 

What pleases God?  The whole chapter of Thessalonians 4 lists what works are pleasing in the sight of the God of Abraham.  Honesty pleases God.  Love pleases God. Peaceful behavior pleases God. Diligence pleases God. 

Paul says later in this chapter that controlling our bodies and avoiding lustfulness are also pleasing to God.  Then, bringing lost souls to Christ and Kingdom Building are definitely pleasing to God. Our part in God’s plan is to do what is pleasing to Him.   If we want to see success in our agenda; we must focus more and more on this assignment.  This sentiment is repeated in 2 Corinthians,

“God is able to bless you abundantly SO THAT in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in EVERY GOOD WORK...” 2 Corinthians 9:8.  

When good works are securely in place in your life, 2 Corinthians says God can bring abundance to your life and you WILL abound in good works for Him. In other words, if you walk honestly and are diligent today, God can bless you abundantly and you will continue to walk honestly and be diligent tomorrow. If your heart is full of love and compassion today, God can bless you with abundance and you will still be just as full of love and compassion tomorrow. And if you act peacefully at every opportunity, God can bless you abundantly and you will continue to model peaceful behavior every time you get a chance.

Furthermore, having “abundance” in all things at all times means you lack nothing at any time.  God has made His part of the equation to make grace available; blessings available; favor available; the power of Christ and His anointing available; and every thing available in abundance.  But your part of the equation is to “abound” in EVERY GOOD WORK; thus, if good works are absent from your life, the underlying issue holding up your dream list of things you expect God to do may very well be YOU. 

So what GOOD WORK are you doing?  Are you honest? How much time do you set apart for God in an average week (outside of Sundays from 11 – 2p)?  Can you be described as peaceful? Diligent? Full of love?  Do you control your body or are you constantly submitting yourself to lustfulness and fornication? God will provide His grace and His Spirit on your behalf, but He’s not going to do the good works He's assigned to you on your behalf. Your part is to do what is pleasing to God.  

Again, I know you have made plans for yourself, but more important than your plans are God’s plans!  Yes… God has plans for YOU! His plans will prosper you; not just prosper your pocket; they will prosper your soul!  God’s plans are not to harm you, but to give you hope and a real future. And the bible says once you begin to work-out God’s plans in your life, “THEN” you will call Him and He will come. “THEN” you will pray to Him and He will listen to you. To see success in your agenda, you must take time out of your plan, lay down your agenda and work diligently on your assignment which is to do more and more GOOD WORK for Him! 

Fatal Attraction

A few years ago, I went on a road-trip with my dad (something I thoroughly enjoy but don't do often enough). We traveled from the East Bay to an area north of Truckee and back. Even though we had a whole day at our disposal, I knew going in that it wouldn't be nearly enough time for us to really "catch up" as far as I'm concerned.

We ran the gambit; talked about everything under the sun from religion to politics. Then, our dialogue turned to a discussion about the popular 80/20 rule that Tyler Perry's characters mention in the movie "Why Did I Get Married".

80/20 is the old adage that basically says all married couples only receive 80% of what they need from their spouse. It suggests all marriage relationships lack 20% of each partner's wants and/or needs. The tragedy is when a man or a women walk away from their marriage chasing that 20% not realizing the value of the 80% they're leaving behind. My dad's point seemed to be him warning me not to fall victim to this terrible scenario.

"Do whatever you have to do to make your wife happy... " he told me.

That sounded like good advice; except that, without voicing it, we both knew how this same advice had worked out for him. My parents have been divorced for more years than they were married; which is an accomplishment within itself.

"Why do people do that... ?" I asked him. "... Why walk away from a marriage chasing something they're never gonna find?"

The question sounded fair, except that, without voicing it, we both already knew the answer. One word; pure and simple: ATTRACTION.

People who walk away from a marriage most often have either been chased away by abuse or drawn away by attraction. Married people are attracted to alternative lifestyles, new cars, money, jewelry, cloths... and especially OTHER PEOPLE. Counselor at California Family Court Services deal with so many cases where one spouse had no attraction for anyone other than their mate; then suddenly, within the space of a year, became so attracted to someone else that they walked away claiming their spouse isn't attractive to them anymore.

What is attraction? Is it a vibe? Is it a feeling? And what generates attraction? Physical appearance? Maybe ease of communication? Or is it something deep and spiritual like openness, one-ness or emotional accessibility? Marketing experts study attraction everyday; their intension is to put something attractive in a bottle and sell it.

Perhaps attraction will remain a mystery forever. But here's what we do know...

Married people must have a level of attraction for their spouse; otherwise, at least one of them will become more attracted to something or SOMEONE else. If every married person could keep their spouses attraction and somehow control who they are attracted to, theoretically, no marriages would end.
What if married people began to dress attractively for their spouse of however many years; not to get the attention of people they hardly know? What if married people made a conscious effort to attract each other instead of attracting some other person who isn't necessarily attractive to them (and that person whom they've attracted will try in vain to return the attraction while being completely oblivious of this other person who, for quite some time, has been attracted to them. And so on, and so on... )

Attraction makes no since; but attraction can make a person walk away from a relationship where 80% of their needs are met trying to get their hands (literally) on that small thing they've become so infatuated with that their life now revolves around them getting.

Its human nature I guess; to want what is attractive and be attracted by what you want. Its human nature to want that 20% which you have yet to experience. And, unfortunately, as the desire for what you want grows, the attractiveness of what you already have slowly diminishes. Perhaps the best analogy is the one about the dog walking on a dock with a nice sized bone in his mouth. Suddenly, he looks at his reflection in the water and sees what he thinks is another dog with a bigger bone looking back at him. So he drops his bone into the water trying to get the bigger bone. Everybody wants what they want and some are willing to sacrifice what they already have to get what they want.

But here's a news flash about attraction: You can't ATTRACT something by desiring it! For example, if you're married, you are not as attractive to a person you hardly know as you are to your spouse. You might find another person attractive, but you don't have what they want; you have what your spouse wants... that's why they married you. You aren't going to attract the person outside of your marriage that is atttractive to you because you can't become what attracts them; you can only pretend to be what attracts them. And, while all of your attention is going into pretending to be someone you are not, you are completely neglecting the one person who fell in love with the person you are and still truly desires you; not something that you are suddenly pretending to be.

The morale of this story is; there is no moral. According to the US Department of Human and Family Services, there are about 2.4 million marriages a year and 1.2 million divorces (roughly 50%). This fact means a lot of married men and women give-in to attraction and chase the alternate lifestyle or the other opportunity... or the money... or the new car... or the newer cloths... or that other person. It means a lot of married people in America do not realize that the 20% they feel their spouse "lacks" is just a mirage; its a hoax; its fake and chasing it will cost them everything. Perusing that 20% means at some point they have to face the repercussion of losing the 80%. At some point they mourn the loss of what made their life work so well. And that part of the equation is not attractive, at least not to me.

Attraction will come and go and will continue to be a waste of time because attraction alone is not Love. Hopefully you are smart enough not to waste time chasing someone or something you do not Love only to abandon someone you do. Hopefully you won't sacrifice everything searching for this illusive high of a 100% situation that doesn't really exist! And I pray you are still attracted to the person you are married to; He or she is the only person who deserves your attraction and this person has the same attraction for you.

But if you aren't, don't worry, they'll soon be attracted to someone else too.

Do Your Part!

We ask God for so many things and would appreciate most of them delivered directly to us sooner rather than later. I'm sure you're willing to admit that the timeline you offer God in the majority of your prayers is less often,

"When you get around to it, Lord"

... and is most often asked for Him to do it

"Right Now!"

We pray to God simply because we know we can do nothing apart from Him. God holds us along with this world in His mighty hand. Everything we hope for will have to come through Him because He is the Highest Power and has promised to be mindful of our earnest plea,

"... what is man that thou art mindful of him" Psalms 8:4

Knowing this, however, you must also understand that in the grand scale of God's powerful plan and in His sovereign will, there is a factor other than God Himself involved in you receiving what you have asked of Him: YOU HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY!

In all of you desires; in everything you anticipate; in everything you put your faith in God for and expect Him to bring to pass including salvation, there is a part you must play. Therefore, if you haven't received what you have been asking God for, the underlying issue may very well be YOU!

There are things God has instructed you to do, whether you are willing to admit it today or not. There is something specific God is instructing you to do; and He will not do this thing for you. Maybe there's a lifestyle change you need to complete. Maybe there's someone in your life you need to forgive. Maybe there's someone in your life you need to ask for forgiveness from. Whatever it is, for you, it will be hard work (psychological; not necessarily physical). Jesus commissioned his disciples saying,

"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field... " Matthew 9:37,38.

Jesus looked over the multitude who had came seeking him on more than one occasion and noticed immediately that all of them were seeking him for a harvest, but those prepared to devote their lives to him were few. God knows you want to reap a harvest; but God is not going to sow your field for that harvest. It's up to you to follow Him!

With almost every miracle Jesus did, there were instructions in order for the person to receive his miracle. Jesus required a "step" in faith on the receiver's end for him to proceed with the miracle he had come to perform. The best example of this is shown in John 5:2-9 with the story of the man by the pool.

According to the story, there was a shallow pool of water in Jerusalem where an angel would periodically "disturb" the water. The bible says who ever stepped into the water first after the angle left would be cured of whatever disease they had. So, naturally there was constantly a multitude of poor, sick, blind, lame and ailing people camped around the pool. The story tells of a certain man who had been in his condition for 38 years trying to be the first to get in. Jesus saw the man in verse 7:

"... When Jesus saw him lying, and knew that he had been there a long time in that case, he said to him, 'Do you want to be made whole?'" John 5:7

Christians today want healing. Christians want deliverance. We want answers. Some need resolution to situations and we need them TODAY. But how many are sitting idly waiting for it to happen? How many are like the man by the pool waiting for their miracle to fall out of the sky? If you talk to as many people as I do, you'll find that many Christians who need prayers answered are lying around waiting for something to happen. They're sitting idely instead of working on what they've prayed for as if it is done. Many aren't doing anything other than waiting for a breakthrough to happen around them and then hoping somebody puts them in it... They're waiting for somebody to get something started instead of starting something!

The problem is, when you sit idly in a position of ailment, you become what your infirmity is. In other words, when you sit in your condition for too long, you own your condition; then you become that condition.

The man by the pool was sitting there by the pool for so long that he became "the man by the pool". Sitting by that pool had become his full-time job at which he refused to miss a day. You can tell when someone has become their condition; the first thing which happens is they begin to wear their condition like a coat. Every time you see them, they recite the long list of what's wrong with them,

"... This is wrong... that is wrong... the other thing is wrong too... then yesterday I was at the mall and got shot at... " And so on...

Next, others will begin to identify the person by their long list of infirmities,

"... Have you seen Michael? You know... the one with all the stuff wrong... the one that got shot at... "

Once a person's condition becomes their identity, in many cases, they wouldn't do their part to get free even if their life depended on it (which it does). That's why Jesus asked the man, "Do you want to be made whole?" In other words, Jesus asked him, "Will you let go of your infirmity and be healed?"

You would expect the man to say "Yes" to this question; but this man's initial answer was "No". You don't believe me? Read it for yourself. Jesus asked a "Yes" or "No" question. The man did not say "Yes", instead he gave Jesus the reason as to why he hadn't been made whole. After the man recited his list of what's wrong, in my opinion, he was prepared to let Jesus just walk away. He had been an invalid for so long that he'd become his situation. He didn't recognize that his wait was over; the Anointing power of the Most High God which he had been waiting for was in the flesh standing right in front of him!

If you identify yourself as always broke, then you've become "the man by the pool". If you say you are always sick, then you've become "the man by the pool". If you constantly tell people "My life is messed up... I never change... I always do that..." or whatever, then, sadly, you have become "the man by the pool" and I'm willing to bet people avoid talking to you.

Fortunately "the man by the pool" in this story received a second chance. Jesus ignored his whining and told him,

"Take up your bed and walk" John 5:8

At that point, the man could either do what Jesus asked and walk away from his condition, or be crippled for another 38 years (or whatever years he had left). The man chose obedience to Jesus' instruction and left the side of the pool forever.

If you sit and cling to what's wrong in your life, years will pass and it will still be wrong... and you'll be mad at God because it will feel like He's failed you. But it was YOU who failed YOU! You've got to GET UP from the side of the pool! The power of the Holy Spirit is within you RIGHT NOW; you've just got to engage Him. Fill yourself with faith ("Faith Cometh By Hearing..." Romans 10:17) and let God instruct you. Then DO YOUR PART! Stop looking for something to happen around you and get to work on a miracle that will start with YOU!

Stay In Your Place

The book of Acts records in the 16th chapter a situation when the Apostle Paul and his crew traveled through a region near Galatia. The bible makes it clear in this passage that Paul and his partners would have preferred to travel to Asia; 

 "Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to..."

Acts 16:6-7 

The King James Version of this scripture says the men were “forbidden” by the Holy Spirit to go in the direction they originally chose. So, because of the guiding of the Holy Spirit, they traveled  away from Asia and by all indications, at first, they had no idea why. But eventually, Paul was given a vision that explained to him why his party had been driven in the direction they were traveling. 

 "During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, Come over to Macedonia and help us. After Paul had seen the vision; we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them..."

Acts 16:10

The bible makes it clear that, as you know, these men were not traveling on vacation. Paul and his associates were on a mission.  When he traveled, he carried with him the gospel of Jesus Christ; a message that he had every intention of preaching no matter the place or atmosphere.

The question is, why were the men not permitted to travel to the province of Asia as they would have preferred? Was it that they couldn't spread the gospel in Asia?

Answer: No, they could have ministered in Asia. But there was another place God wanted the men to go. 

God was sending them to the place HE had need of them to be. So, while they would have preferred Asia, the guiding of the Holy Spirit led them 156 miles by sea to Macedonia. If you read on in this chapter, (around verse 23) you’ll find that the shortly after the men arrived in Macedonia, Paul and Silas where severely beaten up and placed into jail on trumped-up charges. 

The next question is, was that their place? Was jail the place where God wanted them to be?

Answer: Yes, jail was exactly where God needed them to be. Jail was their place at that time. 

They were on direct orders from the Lord Himself to preach the gospel which, in turn, landed them in trouble with the government of Macedonia and ultimately sentenced to imprisonment. But, if they had not gone through the beatings and the jail time, they would not have been able to witness the revelation of God’s power in their "Midnight Experience" (verse 25) which we still marvel when reading some 2,000 years later. 

In Paul and Silas' midnight experience, as they prayed and sang hymns, God shook the foundation of the prison causing the doors to all swing wide open.  And even then, when they appeared to have been set free, Paul knew to stay in that place until God told him to move.  Had Paul and Silas left the prison, the jailer would have committed suicide that night, or been murdered by the jail owners the next day.  

The place God called Paul and his travelers to held great turmoil for the men;nevertheless, it was the correct place for them to be.  This shows us that the presence of turmoil does not determine whether the place you are headed is the correct place. In fact, sometimes, the presence of turmoil can confirm to you that you are indeed headed to the right place. 

It’s the lack of provision, lack of instruction and lack of peace you have to watch out for.  In your place there will be trouble, but it is only in your place you will find protection, promotion and guidance as well as victory over the trouble.

So don’t concern yourself with what your place can't offer you.  Don’t judge the place God has sent you to by the way it looks or the amount of support you may or may not find in that place. Instead, find the reason God has placed you there and focus on what you can do for God and for someone else while you are in your place until it is time for you to move. God led you to this place because he has need of you here.  You need to be in this place in obedience to Him. If you take care of God’s agenda first, He will be faithful to take care of your agenda; i.e. the place in life you would prefer to be.

Your protection is in this place. Your provision is in this place.  Your productivity is in this place. Your promotion is in this place. Your peace is in this place. The place where God wants you is the best place for you. God will direct you to where you should be and keep in position for as long as you should be there.  Then, by the His Holy Spirit, He will move you to the next place He has need of you to be in the way that He wants you to move when He wants you to move there.  And there you will stay until it is time to move again. Period.

The "Mean" While

Do you have a list of specific things you are praying for? Things you believe God will do for you? Are you pressing towards a promise and not allowing anything or anyone to convince you to let go of your faith? Are you expecting "Great Things" to happen in your life; things which will move you from the place you are now to the place you will be in the future you envision?

If you have this list, then you are like me. I have things I'm praying for too; things I am believing God will do for me. I'm expecting to move from the level I am today to whatever level God has been preparing me for too; in my family life, in my professional life, as an author, as a musician, and as a worship leader.

I've got the scriptures, I recite confessions, and I've been holding on. I am believing that the Spirit of God will produce what I have asked. I'm believing God is Jehovah Jireh; that He will provide in the places where I need Him to provide and make conquers out of us all. I'm holding on to God's Word simply because there's nothing else I can hold on to.

I hear the word "sacrifice". I don't have much to give other than my willingness to give. I offer God my dedication, as limited as I find it to be. I offer God devotion; whatever devotion I can muster at this stage in my life and I continuously pray for a willingness to offer Him more. I'm doing the work I know to do... and even some of what I'm not sure of. What I offer God, though small, incomplete and unworthy, is the best I have. It's all I have... Is it not good enough? Is it not done well enough? Is it not big enough? Is it not enough? Then, what is enough?

If you have had this discussion with God or with yourself; especially if you've had this conversation more than once, pay close attention...
You are probably in a period of time in your life which many preachers call the "Meanwhile". This is a period when you are doing all types of work but feel you are not getting results. It's a time when you feel as though God is standing idley aside watching you struggle to jump through hoop after hoop while shaking His head in disappointment, then raising the hoops higher. It's when fear, doubt and frustration all collide into turmoil, questions and prolonged waiting sometimes bordering on depression. You feel distant from God, as if you are struggling while God is on vacation. Things can get "mean" and "ugly" in the "Meanwhile".

Call it your wilderness, your valley experience, whatever you want to call it. Basically, it's the time you face between the time you pray for something and the time you walk into your promise. It's testing time!

I'm certain you are familiar with the law of sowing and reaping. You experience this law whenever you pick fruit from a fruit tree or nurture flowers in a garden. You also experience this law when you make financial investments and as you raise children. The way this law operates is simple: You sow a seed, then cultivate that seed in order to one day reap a harvest. We recognize this law as the preferred system of operation of the Kingdom of God as described in the book of Galatians,

"... Whatsoever a man sow, that shall he also reap" Galatians 6:8

Galatians goes further to say that to believe anything other than this simple rule is an attempt to mock God. What we don't always understand, however, is that this law of sowing and reaping is governed by 3 strict rules:

#1. You will reap what you sow

#2. You will reap later then you sow it and

#3. You will reap more then you've sown.

Rule #1 and Rule #3 are self-explanatory. Rule #1 says you will reap what you sow. This means you cannot expect to reap something different than what you have sown. For example, you can't sow rice into a field but expect a harvest of fruit. This would be mocking God as mentioned above in Galatians. Whatever you sow, that and that only is what you will reap. Then, Rule #3 says you will reap more than you sow. In other words, your harvest will be larger than the initial seed. In nature seeds come in sizes as small as pollen, but each time, what is produced is many times larger then what went into the ground.

The "Meanwhile" has mostly to do with Rule #2. You will reap later then you sow. Your "Meanwhile" is the period of time between the time you sow a seed and the time you harvest. You are fasting and praying; you are being consistent with your confessions; you are exercising your faith; never letting a contrary word come out of your mouth; your seed is in the ground. Next is the wait; and there will always be a wait!

During the "Meanwhile", Satan try's desperately to get your seed uprooted. He try's to influence you to give up, neglect your investment, stop nurturing your seed; just let your faith fall.

Look at the "Meanwhile" Jesus went through. It begins in Matthew chapter 4. First, Jesus' pride was tested as the devil dared him to feed himself in the middle of the desert which would have shown his authority. Next, Satan tried to convince Jesus to kill himself by taking him to the top of the temple and saying, "cast thyself down... " claiming angels would save him. And in his final attempt, Satan vowed to hand-over the whole Earth in exchange for Jesus' surrender. How many of us could have withstood the "Meanwhile" that Jesus beard? How many of us would have surrendered at the first temptation and turned the stone to bread? Or, how many of us would have given up on God and accepted the devils terms to receive the entire world on a silver platter in exchange for our mortal souls? How many of us already have? Hopefully none.

So why the wait? Why is there a meanwhile? Why doesn't a harvest just spring up minutes after it is planted instead of months or years?

The purpose of the wait is the seed you've planted must have time to grow roots. Everything within that seed has to stretch out of the seed's container into the good soil that will produce fruit (there's a sermon tucked away in that sentence alone). The wait is necessary for nourishment and cultivation to take place.

Consider this: What if you received a vision today that showed you what you where gaining by the time you spend in your "meantime"? What if God showed you the strength that waiting provides? What if He showed you the maturity and the confidence that will result from the time you spend believing God's Word before you received your miracle? What if God laid it all out for you so you could see exactly what He is building in you and why it is taking so long? Then would you be able to make it through the "Meanwhile"?

Of course you could. You would see clearly that God's plan is perfect in every way and, because of God's infinite wisdom, I'm certain what you saw would literally blow your mind! And you'd never complain about your "meanwhile" ever again.

Now consider what FAITH is. Paul describes faith as the substance of what you are hoping for and the evidence of what you can not see. God has designed His Kingdom on Earth to operate with FAITH as the substance for what we expect from Him. And FAITH also acts as the evidence that what we believe is true. We must cultivate every seed with FAITH if we expect it to grow. In fact, the bible says it is impossible to please God without FAITH (Hebrews 11). Jesus said FAITH is so dynamic that even if it were as small as a single grain of mustard seed, it could still produce enough power to move an entire mountain! Now that's powerful!

Waiting through your "meanwhile" may seem tough; but really, it is not the hard part. Waiting is actually unavoidable. Certain things are just outside of your control where you literally have no choice but to either wait or give up.

Waiting PATIENTLY, however, is what's difficult. Patient waiting means not only that you wont give up, but also that you wont try to "speed up"; that you wont try other alternatives; that you wont Involve yourself in an endless barrage of attempts to "help God". Too often we instinctively assume that if we do more work than we are supposed to do, we will get results faster. But God is the Lord of every harvest, thus no matter what we do, the harvest will be what our sovereign God has decided. Period. Obedience to God is our participation in the system that God has established for us. But, at the end of the day, the harvest is God's to give and not ours to demand.

The bible says PATIENCE is better than pride (Ecclesiastics 7:8). PATIENCE is also one of the Fruits of the Spirit. But, I'll admit; it's hard to be patient while you wait; especially when you are desperate.

Two things will help you wait patiently through your "Meanwhile":

A. Recognize immediately when you are in a "Meanwhile". This is critical, otherwise you will feel abused having to suffer through all of the emotions: doubt, temptation, and frustration, even anger. Recognize that Satan is working on you and don't allow him to be successful. My friend, Minister Jason Caranto put it best,

"The devil is after your future more than your present! He's determined to destroy what will become before it is!... "

B. Get your scriptures ready. When things get "mean" you need to reinforce your confidence. Draw closer to God for strength; rebuild your faith! Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

Have the right scriptures memorized, book marked and highlighted. Be ready to "draw your sword" at a moments notice.

Question: What is the right scripture?

Answer: The one you need at the time!

Jesus didn't get complicated with Satan. When Jesus was under attack, he simply answered the attack by quoting scriptures,

"Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only'"

Final thought... Hebrews 6:19 says,

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain" Hebrews 6:19

Hope will pull you through your "Meanwhile". God is not looking at you with disappointment. You are his most prized-possession. Though your failures pain Him, they are also no surprise to Him. He knew of each before the foundation of the world and yet predestined you to become His child. Remember that the trouble you face in your meanwhile is what cultivates you to receive what you have asked for; which is what God has in His will for your life.

And Remember Rule #3; your harvest will be bigger than the seed! It will be worth the wait through the mean, mean, "Meanwhile". You will make it if you focus less on the wait and more on the harvest. Strive to make patient-waiting your biggest accomplishment during this season in your life.