Praying Together on Monday...

I praise God for these morning when I am alone with YOU, where you can speak to my heart and I can respond to yours. 

Today, R. T. Kendall writes: The Value of Loneliness

After he has dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. 

Matthew 14:23

Loneliness isn't for nothing. If you are in a situation of enforced solitude, there is a reason. God does not send the thorn in the flesh for nothing. Moreover, it is not punishment. Don't say, "Oh, I am getting my dues!" Wrong! 

God got even at the cross. The thorn in the flesh is preparation. We all need preparation in some way. Part of my own preparation has been learning to cope with loneliness. 

There is loneliness in leadership. Every church leader knows the pain of having to make unpopular decisions, the pain of not getting very close to those you minister to, the pain of treating everybody the same. The loneliness of leadership is part of the job. 

But there are advantages to loneliness. For example, you have time to pray; you may never have such time again. One reason for enforced solitude is that God wants you all to Himself. He loves your company, and you could be lamenting the very thing that He has designed in order to have your company. 

This is your moment to develop two things: (1) to become an intercessor, where you start praying for people, and (2) to get to know God with an intimacy beyond anything that you dreamed possible. 

Another value of loneliness is to make you sympathetic towards others. That is one of the main purposes of any trial. As Paul put it, "And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort" (2 Cor. 1:17). It produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings. You will be able to sympathize, and you will be able to identify with another person. Pray you will never forget what it was like, should this thorn be withdrawn from your flesh. 

(Excerpted from The Thorn in the Flesh (Charisma House 2004) 

Abba, 

today I thank you for loneliness, these moments and times when I feel so very much alone, abandoned etc. Thank You For What???

Yet, it is your Spirit that comforts me in knowing I am not alone, "...for thou art with me..." With me how? When no one seems to notice or for that matter care, your voice whispers, "I am here, I am near, fear not!" I sometimes wish you'd SHOUT, and make yourself heard above the noise and loneliness of my life. 

Yet, I thank you for R. T.'s words today, You call me to be a leader, and it is often an lonely job. I feel forced to make decisions I rather wish I could avoid, to do work I wasn't trained for, so Help me here as well. I thank you for making me aware of my need to spend time alone with you. My life is so filled with administrative tasks, that I almost forget the real purpose you me into ministry, to be your voice and bring your Word to this generation. It is your desire that i have an intimate relationship with you, Lord you know I'm not that crazy about that term. I almost wish you'f 'muscle' your way in, at least I could say "you made me do it!" but you want to love me and that I can know the gentle love of my Abba, (Father). 

Without this loneliness, I would not seek you, long for you or chase after you, nor care to be an intercessor. So here I am, Just me and you Jesus, I need to get away from rush of the 'madding crowd;' but I haven't yet learned, you're not often found in the crowd, but in the desert, valley and yes even the rough side of the mountain. Jesus, I may be lonely, but I am not or never alone. Thank you for your purpose, for sharing and showing me, "the value of loneliness." 

In your matchless Name I pray. AMEN!!!

--
T.A.B.

The God of Bethel Sees and Speaks

 (10/28/11)

I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land. Genesis 31:13

There are things about you that only God knows. You have told nobody, but God has a way of getting inside your heart with a single word. This is the way He conquers the hardest heart and the greatest skeptic with a closed spirit.

Nobody but Jacob knew about Bethel. Bethel was the place so special to Jacob, and God knew exactly what to say. Jacob was so discouraged; he felt he had nothing to live for. And then God turned up with these words: “I am the God of Bethel.” God could have introduced Himself by saying, I am the God of your father, I am the God of Abraham, I am the God of Isaac.” But He chose to introduce Himself in such a way that Jacob knew it was the true God.

You may ask why Jacob waited twenty years to hear these words. I can’t explain God’s timing, but I know it is perfect. God sees the end from the beginning, but he knows we want answers now. It must hurt Him to see our pain, and He longs for the moment He can speak to us. But it will be at the time when it is best for us, and when He finally steps in, we will have no complaints.

It could be that you are struggling with a situation that is very painful, and you ask, “Lord, can you see what they are doing?” You may think you cannot go on because of the pressure you are under. But the God of Bethel is the God who sees. Her knows what you are feeling. He sees what they are doing.

God said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). The god of Bethel will speak, and he will withhold nothing from you that is good.

Excerpted from All’s Well That Ends Well (Authentic Media, 2005)

WAITING ON VINDICATION - R. T. Kendall

Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child: burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor. Isaiah 54:1

Isaiah could say that about one who longed for a special touch, a breakthrough, or vindication, and that’s god’s word for you. Do not be afraid. You will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace. You will not be humiliated.

In ancient times barrenness was regarded as a sign of God’s disapproval. Rachel believed her inability to conceive and the withholding of vindication meant that God did not approve of her.

Perhaps you are blaming yourself for what you don’t have. You keep thinking, What have I done wrong? What can I do? The truth is that God is sovereign. He can do what he pleases, with whom he pleases, when He pleases. This is His word for you. The day came when God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb.

There is a possibility that God wants to do something for you in the future that will make it seem that what you have now is nothing in comparison.

Rachel’s first son was the future prime minister of Egypt, although she wouldn’t live to see it. She named him Joseph because she wanted another baby. Indeed, God gave her another son, Benjamin. She couldn’t have known how strategic he would be. Paul said, “If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day…of the house of Benjamin” (Phil. 3:4). What Rachel finally received was worth waiting for. To this very hour we all benefit from it, for it was Paul who took the gospel to the Gentiles.

We should see that her vindication was the result of prayer. The Bible says that God remembered Rachel. He listened to her. This means she had been praying. She needed and wanted something only God could do.

Have you settled for a premature, shallow vindication? God has your vindication scheduled too. He has a plan for you, and it’s far greater than the thing you thought would give you satisfaction.

Excerpted from All’s Well that Ends Well (Authentic Media, 2005)

Abba, I thank you for this word for me today! AMEN!

Once again I find this article coming back to mind. I hope you find it as troubling and blessings as I do. Love ya, T.A.B. 

Life Aboard the Fellow-Ship

By Max Lucado

Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do.
ROMANS 14:1 MSG

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. ROMANS 15:7 NIV

Grace makes three proclamations:

First, only God can forgive my godlessness. “Only God can forgive sins” (Mark 2:7). Dealing with my sins is God’s responsibility. I repent, I confess, but only God can forgive. (And he does.)

Second, only God can judge my neighbor. “You cannot judge another person’s servant. The master decides if the servant is doing well or not” (Rom. 14:4). Dealing with my neighbor is God’s responsibility. I must speak; I must pray. But only God can convince. (And he does.)

Third, I must accept who God accepts. “Christ accepted you, so you should accept each other, which will bring glory to God” (Rom. 15:7). God loves me and makes me his child. God loves my neighbor and makes him my brother. My privilege is to complete the triangle, to close the circuit by loving who God loves.

Easier said than done. “To live above with those we love, oh, how that will be glory. To live below with those we know, now that’s another story.” Best I can figure the situation reads something like this…

Rocking the Boat

God has enlisted us in his navy and placed us on his ship. The boat has one purpose — to carry us safely to the other shore.

This is no cruise ship; it’s a battleship. We aren’t called to a life of leisure; we are called to a life of service. Each of us has a different task. Some, concerned with those who are drowning, are snatching people from the water. Others are occupied with the enemy, so they man the cannons of prayer and worship. Still others devote themselves to the crew, feeding and training the crew members.

Though different, we are the same. Each can tell of a personal encounter with the captain, for each has received a personal call. He found us among the shanties of the seaport and invited us to follow him. Our faith was born at the sight of his fondness, and so we went.

We each followed him across the gangplank of his grace onto the same boat. There is one captain and one destination. Though the battle is fierce, the boat is safe, for our captain is God. The ship will not sink. For that, there is no concern.

There is concern, however, regarding the disharmony of the crew. When we first boarded we assumed the crew was made up of others like us. But as we’ve wandered these decks, we’ve encountered curious converts with curious appearances. Some wear uniforms we’ve never seen, sporting styles we’ve never witnessed. “Why do you look the way you do?” we ask them.

“Funny,” they reply. “We were about to ask the same of you.”

The variety of dress is not nearly as disturbing as the plethora of opinions. There is a group, for example, who clusters every morning for serious study. They promote rigid discipline and somber expressions. “Serving the captain is serious business,” they explain. It’s no coincidence that they tend to congregate around the stern.

There is another regiment deeply devoted to prayer. Not only do they believe in prayer, they believe in prayer by kneeling. For that reason you always know where to locate them; they are at the bow of the ship.

And then there are a few who staunchly believe real wine should be used in the Lord’s Supper. You’ll find them on the port side.

Still another group has positioned themselves near the engine. They spend hours examining the nuts and bolts of the boat. They’ve been known to go below deck and not come up for days. They are occasionally criticized by those who linger on the top deck, feeling the wind in their hair and the sun on their face. “It’s not what you learn,” those topside argue. “It’s what you feel that matters.”

And, oh, how we tend to cluster.

Some think once you’re on the boat, you can’t get off. Others say you’d be foolish to go overboard, but the choice is yours.

Some believe you volunteer for service; others believe you were destined for the service before the ship was even built.

Some predict a storm of great tribulation will strike before we dock; others say it won’t hit until we are safely ashore.

There are those who speak to the captain in a personal language. There are those who think such languages are extinct.

There are those who think the officers should wear robes, there are those who think there should be no officers at all, and there are those who think we are all officers and should all wear robes.

And, oh, how we tend to cluster.

And then there is the issue of the weekly meeting at which the captain is thanked and his words are read. All agree on its importance, but few agree on its nature. Some want it loud, others quiet. Some want ritual, others spontaneity. Some want to celebrate so they can meditate; others meditate so they can celebrate. Some want a meeting for those who’ve gone overboard. Others want to reach those overboard but without going overboard and neglecting those on board.

And, oh, how we tend to cluster.

The consequence is a rocky boat. There is trouble on deck. Fights have broken out. Sailors have refused to speak to each other. There have even been times when one group refused to acknowledge the presence of others on the ship. Most tragically, some adrift at sea have chosen not to board the boat because of the quarreling of the sailors.

“What do we do?” we’d like to ask the captain. “How can there be harmony on the ship?” We don’t have to go far to find the answer.

On the last night of his life Jesus prayed a prayer that stands as a citadel for all Christians:

I pray for these followers, but I am also praying for all those who will believe in me because of their teaching. Father, I pray that they can be one. As you are in me and I am in you, I pray that they can also be one in us. Then the world will believe that you sent me. (John 17:20)

How precious are these words. Jesus, knowing the end is near, prays one final time for his followers. Striking, isn’t it, that he prayed not for their success, their safety, or their happiness.

He prayed for their unity. He prayed that they would love each other.

As he prayed for them, he also prayed for “those who will believe because of their teaching.” That means us! In his last prayer Jesus prayed that you and I be one.

The Command of Acceptance

Of all the lessons we can draw from this verse, don’t miss the most important: Unity matters to God. The Father does not want his kids to squabble. Disunity disturbs him. Why? Because “all people will know that you are my followers if you love each other” (John 13:35). Unity creates belief. How will the world believe that Jesus was sent by God? Not if we agree with each other. Not if we solve every controversy. Not if we are unanimous on each vote. Not if we never make a doctrinal error. But if we love one another.

Unity creates belief. Disunity fosters disbelief. Who wants to board a ship of bickering sailors? Life on the ocean may be rough, but at least the waves don’t call us names.

Paul Billheimer may very well be right when he says:

“The continuous and widespread fragmentation of the Church has been the scandal of the ages. It has been Satan’s master strategy. The sin of disunity probably has caused more souls to be lost than all other sins combined.”²

“All people will know that you are my followers if you love each other.” Stop and think about this verse for a minute. Could it be that unity is the key to reaching the world for Christ?

A response to this mornings devotional...

The Proof of Conversion (October 20, 2011)

There are many women who are angry with god because they feel He did not give them good looks, and men find them unattractive. Perhaps you feel this way, Let me ask you a question: So you wish you looked different, that you were better-looking than you are? I suppose we all wish that. But maybe, one day, when we get to heaven, we’ll see it was a particular kindness, which we couldn’t see at the time, that god made us just as we are. Do you know what God wants to achieve in you and me? He wants us to come to terms with our looks, with our gifts, with our limitations, with our place in society, with our parents, with the way we’ve been treated, and to learn to like ourselves like that. One of the greatest evidences of grace is that we like ourselves just as we are.

The proof of conversion is that you see through to the true God and don’t let circumstances divert you. I have often been amazed how black people in the deep South ever became saved when I consider how badly their masters treated them. Yet they heard talk of heaven and knew one day they were going there, where they would be out of their misery. They could identify with that. That’s why they were converted. God has a way of getting us past our circumstances. No matter how dreadful our experiences might have been, God has a way of reaching us, and the most unlikely person can be the most glorious convert. The experiences that may have caused us to feel the deepest bitterness can turn out to be our salvation. God has designed all things to get us to look to Him.

R. T. Kendall – Excerpted from: All’s Well That Ends Well (Authentic Media, 2005)

My Response:

Abba, I must begin with confession (again;) I have not been pleased with how you made me. You’re not surprised by this are you? Then again, I haven’t worked well with what you did give me, either. You made me as you have for a reason, and today I say, THANK YOU! Maybe one day in heaven I will be all I wish I were, but for today, I thank you. I may not be fully aware of what you want to achieve in me, but I want to permit you to do your best work in me. Help me to begin to, yes come to terms with, my looks, gifts and yes, my limitations, even my place in society. I thank you for my parents, Paul and Evenly burns; for how I have been treated, (and those like me.) Help me to like myself as I am, and not as I wish I were. Thank you for teaching me to like myself as I am, and not as someone I wish I were. Grant me grace to be the person you meant me to be.

I thank you for the gifts you’ve given me, to care for others, it matters not who they are, their place or position, thank you for allowing me to reach out to them as a demonstration of your love to someone who might otherwise be considered a stranger. You have time and time again, allowed me to see them as they are, and show your love and care for them, by offering nothing more than friendship. Grant me grace to accept the fact that not everyone won’t see this as a good gift. Help me not to be diverted from giving love and concern for them.

I thank you for making me as you have, forgive me for those moments when I would like to be someone else. I have allowed the culture to say to me, “if only, if only I were…” Thank you for your portion to me. Help me to love without purpose or desire for it to be returned, to give without thought of getting, of caring without the demand for reward.

I thank you for your ability to get past my circumstances, you had a lot of work to do here, but thank you. May I see you in the difficult places and moments s my life; may I be do filled with your love that those I meet may know of your care for them. “O drive these dark clouds from the sky, Thy soul cheering presence restore…”

I love you Jesus for loving me, and converting me in your likeness, a little more each day. You are cleansing me from the bitterness of hatred and self loathing I have so often felt. I thank you for doing your bet work in me. AMEN!

A Great old Hymn with very deep meaning for me this morning...

How tedious and tasteless the hours 

John Newton, the well-known converted slave-trader who authored "Amazing Grace," also wrote this little-known hymn. It expresses the centrality of communion with Christ to the Christian's joy. I grew up singing this song, but it was years before the lyrics hit home. Read, meditate, and be moved to seek Christ as your all. (Unknown)

How tedious and tasteless the hours

When Jesus I no longer see;

Sweet prospects, sweet birds and sweet flowers,

Have all lost their sweetness to me;

The midsummer sun shines but dim,

The fields strive in vain to look gay.

But when I am happy in Him,

December’s as pleasant as May.

His Name yields the richest perfume,

And sweeter than music His voice;

His presence disperses my gloom,

And makes all within me rejoice.

I should, were He always thus nigh,

Have nothing to wish or to fear;

No mortal as happy as I,

My summer would last all the year.

Content with beholding His face,

My all to His pleasure resigned,

No changes of season or place

Would make any change in my mind:

While blessed with a sense of His love,

A palace a toy would appear;

All prisons would palaces prove,

If Jesus would dwell with me there.

Dear Lord, if indeed I am Thine,

If Thou art my sun and my song,

Say, why do I languish and pine?

And why are my winters so long?

O drive these dark clouds from the sky,

Thy soul cheering presence restore;

Or take me to Thee up on high,

Where winter and clouds are no more.

Thank you Pastor...

Pastor,
I thank you for being there and sharing God's Word with me and those I love
Thank you for preparing yourself in study and prayer before sharing the Word with us
thank you for sharing yourself with me and us daily
Thank you for the gift of love you and your family share with us
Thank you for that hospital visit
Thank you for standing with me at the funeral home of a family member who isn't a member of our church
Thank you for listening, as I try to explain what I don't understand myself
Thank you for opportunities to share in the ministry
Thank you for your teaching
Thank you encouraging me when I needed it
Thank you for hanging with the young people when you didn't have too
Thank you for not forgetting me as I got older and my steps were slower
Thank you for staying among us, and never let us forget our value
Thank you for that time when...
Thank you for laughing at my dumb jokes
Thank you for showing me the way to Jesus
Thank you for accepting me and welcoming back when I've fallen
Thank you for being a friend long before Face Book came along
Thank you for blessing and loving my children
Thank you for loving me when I was a child
Thank you for being my pastor.