Join the Wrestling Team

You don’t have to weigh 300 pounds, be strong as an ox, or even wear a red or blue onesie to be a valuable member of the wrestling team. If it's the right team. I believe Epaphras might be the captain of the team. I love Paul's description of him in Colossians 4:12. Paul says Epaphras was “always wrestling in prayer for you” (NIV). 

Intercessory prayer is a privilege, and it is one way we can live out Paul’s instructions to “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). There are messages all over social media asking for prayers, with responses (either in words or emojis) of “praying.” There are all sorts of occasions when we need our wrestling team to have our backs.

Oftentimes, I have received requests to be in prayer at a specific, appointed time over a certain event in someone’s life. I am happy to do this and had never considered that timed prayer might not be seen as a viable practice until I overheard a recent conversation. Several individuals near me were discussing whether or not it was really necessary or even beneficial to set an alarm and pray for a specific event at a pre-ordained time. Their conversation prompted me to consider their comments. Does it really matter when we pray, just as long as we pray sometime? 

Perhaps the logic behind their thinking was that we should always be in prayer, rather than reserving our prayer time for a particular time or day. Paul often mentions his own constant attitude of prayer (Phil 1:3; 2 Tim 1:3; Phlm 1:4), and he instructs us to “pray continually” (1 Thess 5:17). Even so, are there any biblical examples of prayers and answers happening together, at the same time, which would prompt us to schedule certain prayers, as requested …to set specific, purposeful times for a wrestling match?

I thought about the prophet Daniel. He reported that “while I was speaking and praying...and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill” an angel came to him “in swift flight” and gave him an answer to his prayer (Dan. 9:20-23). Now that is an example of a powerful, timely answer to prayer and a victorious wrestling match.

You may remember on one occasion the prophet Elijah “bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees” in prayer (1 Kings 18:42). Occasionally, he would take a break from praying in order to send his servant out to look for evidence of an immediate answer. No answer yet? Elijah bowed again and continued praying. It took seven times, but finally, his servant was able to report a visible, immediate answer to Elijah’s prayer. What an example of persistence in prayer at the moment an answer was needed.

Matthew recorded for us several instances when individuals asked Jesus for healing and he answered by healing their loved one “at that moment” (Matt. 8:13; 9:22; 15:28; 17:18). I’m sure there are more examples, but these are the ones that came to my mind.

If you think about it, we can only pray about needs or situations in the present or in the future. Even though God is eternal and has no limits of time, we are mortal and (at least while we are alive here) are bound by time. We can’t pray that history will be changed. We can’t pray that a past decision won’t be made or that a past tragedy or illness won’t occur. We can only pray about what is happening now.

This doesn't mean that God will always answer our prayers at the very moment we pray them, as He did for Daniel and Elijah. He might delay, but He always invites us to come to Him for help, for grace, and for mercy in our time of need (Heb 4:12). Might we flood the throne room with many friends and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, all seeking grace and mercy for a specific “time of need”?

Remember that we are in a spiritual battle, and we “do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12 ESV). Since our enemies are of another realm, it is a good thing our weapons “are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:3-4). We should be ready and willing to use these weapons (to pray) at the very moment of our brothers’ and sisters’ time of need.

Soldiers who are headed into battle need protection while they are in the midst of the battle. They have no need to be fully suited up for battle before it’s time for the battle to begin, or to suit up after the battle has ended and they are already wounded. They need to armor and protection during the fight, in the thick of the enemy’s attacks.

It is easy to get worn down in battle, but Jesus tells us that we “should always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1). Remember that we are not alone in our battles and we have a great army in battle with us that we can call upon to pray for us, not only when they happen to think about it, but at specific times on specific occasions when we know we need that extra measure of protection, direction, strength, mercy, discernment, or wisdom in the midst of a battle.

So while we may “pray continually” on some level, I am going to continue to set my alarm and wrestle in prayer, interceding at specific times during a fellow brother or sister's time of need. Let's show up en masse at the wrestling match in the throne room and follow Epaphras' lead. Join the wrestling team.

When the Lord Says "Watch This!"

Remaining strong and hopeful while waiting on the Lord can be so difficult –especially as your season of waiting grows long or as the situation grows hopeless.

I wonder if a friend of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus may have offered this verse to them as a word of encouragement while they waited for Jesus to show up and heal Lazarus. Someone may have said to them, ‘I know you are concerned because Lazarus is sick and even though you sent word to Jesus, he hasn’t come yet. Remember what the psalmist said –wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.’

As Lazarus grew sicker and sicker, were Mary and Martha able to wait patiently for Jesus? Were they able to remain strong? Did they continue to have hope in their hearts? What happened to their hope when Lazarus died and Jesus still had not come?

I’m reminded of the end of the wedding scene in The Princess Bride when Buttercup is completely shocked and devastated because Westley did not come in time to rescue her from Prince Humperdink. It was with a deep sense of disappointment and hopelessness that she uttered, ‘he didn’t come.’

Like Princess Buttercup, Mary and Martha must have wondered why Jesus didn’t come and why He didn’t make it to Bethany “on time” to heal Lazarus and save the day. They must have wondered why Jesus was so slow. Didn’t he know what was going on and what they were going through in His absence? Didn’t He love them and their brother Lazarus? 

I find it interesting that John notes for us that “although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days” (John 11:5-6 NLT). His delay was not because He didn’t love them or want what was best for them or everyone else around them.

As the stone was sealed over the tomb, Mary and Martha must have seen their situation as finished and hopeless. As everyone knows, death is final and there was nothing else that could be done. It was over. Even Jesus couldn’t do anything for them at this point. Lazarus was dead, as was their hope. And this was all because Jesus was too slow in getting to them --at least in their understanding.

The apostle Peter was there and witnessed this entire event. I wonder if he had this in mind at all when he wrote, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness…” (2 Pet 3:9 NIV). How do we understand slowness? God not acting on our personal timeline? Or not acting according to our own finite understanding?

The Lord says, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Is 55:4 NIV). His thoughts and ways are not just a little bit higher than ours. We can’t just reach a little higher or think a little deeper or concentrate a little harder and be able to wrap our minds around the Lord’s ways and thoughts, just as we can’t stretch high enough to reach into outer space or even to touch the clouds in the sky.

Mary and Martha’s plan was for Jesus to come before Lazarus died and for Jesus to restore Lazarus to health. While this would have been a good, miraculous event, it was nothing compared to what Jesus did for them. He didn’t just restore health to a living person. He brought a dead, rotting, stinking corpse back to life. While healing Lazarus from his illness would have been nice, raising him from the dead after four days was a glorious, spectacular, incomprehensible miracle that no one expected --a miracle that could only be performed by the One who “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Eph 3:20 NIV).

Raising Lazarus from the dead was far beyond what Mary and Martha could have asked or imagined, and they would have missed it if Jesus had succumbed to their plans, their requests, and their timeline. Jesus waited until the situation seemed completely and utterly hopeless before He stepped in and said “Watch this!”

So again, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (Ps 27:14 NIV) and wait for God to step into your hopeless situation and say “watch this!”

I'm Waiting

I like to do things fast. I like to drive fast. I often find it difficult to stay under the posted speed limit on an open road, so cruise control helps keep me legal. I prefer to walk fast –no slowly strolling through the mall for me. If I have to be at mall, it’s because I’m on a specific mission. Let’s get where we’re going, get it done, and get out. I read fast. I type fast. And in spite of being from Texas where we’re supposed to talk in a slow drawl, I generally speak fast. Have you ever been on DiveBomb Alley, the huge swing at Six Flags that lets you fall at about 80 mph? Swinging fast is fabulous! You know one thing that it is impossible to do fast? Waiting.

I love that quick line in The Princess Bride when Vizzini exclaims, "I'm waiting!" It drives me crazy to have to wait. It might be waiting in traffic that is not moving at all; waiting in a doctor's office way past the time for my appointment; waiting for my tax refund when it should have arrived weeks ago; waiting on my computer while that irritating rainbow wheel spins incessantly; waiting for someone to return a phone call or an email; waiting to see where God is leading us next; waiting for healing, for provision, for deliverance, for a word from God --- we all have to wait for something. Maybe you are better at waiting than I am, but I suspect most of us have some degree of difficulty with waiting.

The Bible verse that I have been meditating on and reciting to myself lately is "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord" (Psalm 27:14 NIV). Sometimes we may feel like God is so slow in moving and that we have been waiting so long for Him to move, to speak, to heal, to bless, to deliver, to reveal…but “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you…” (2 Pet 3:9 NIV). Learning to wait…learning to be patient…learning to wait patiently is part of our being conformed to the character of our God. Some have to wait longer than others. Abraham waited a very long time, but he finally received what God had promised him “after waiting patiently” (Heb 6:15 NIV). It could be a long wait. It could require a great deal of patience.

So, whatever it is that you’re waiting for, take time today to be still, to be calm, to sit in the presence of Lord, and let's remind each other to “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Mile Markers

What tangible things do you have that remind you of a meaningful event in your life? Maybe it's a photo album of your wedding. Maybe it's a very significant letter or email that someone sent you to encourage you. We all keep some sort of reminders to keep certain events real and fresh in our memory. 

God has always given certain mile markers to His people to help them remember. He had the Israelites write things down (Ex 17:14), learn songs (Deut 31:19), wear special tassels (Num 15:39), erect altars (Josh 4:4-7), and observe special feasts (Ex 12). He gave us the Lord’s Supper so that every time we share in it, we remember that Jesus died for us, rose again, and is coming again. He gave us baptism so that we can always go back to a physical event when we were buried with Christ and born again into His family.

I will confess that I have been struggling recently with a certain mile marker that I am very privileged to have. I even found myself almost wishing it never happened –that maybe it was a mistake. But none of this thinking can change the fact that this mile marker was set up, it happened, and it marks who I am. No one can change it, wish it didn’t happen, or make it disappear. I have audio and video recordings, photographs, and a signed certificate as physical reminders of it so I know it was real and I can always go back to revisit it.

I was ordained as a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ last June. Unfortunately, this important mile marker was quickly followed up by the ending of a ministry assignment when we moved to Colorado. That change has now been followed up by nearly six months of frustration, discouragement, and lots of "no" while trying to discern where God has planned for me to serve Him in ministry here. So I started thinking that maybe being ordained was a mistake. Maybe it should never have happened. It was supposed to be a mile marker, not a dead-end sign. Or maybe it was a gift to help solidify what I have been called to, to give me strength in the wilderness -- a gift given at just the right time. 

If I did not have this mile marker to look back on, it would be so much easier to just quit, to give up in the midst of my frustration and travel a different pathway –to just forget the past few years ever happened and go back to an office job and just attend church on Sundays. It would be so much easier. But the fact is, this mile marker did happen. I was ordained into ministry – I have been set apart for service to God. This stake was driven into the ground at just the right time so that in my time of frustration and discouragement, I would have it to look back on in order to help me remember who I am and what I am called and set apart to be.

Thank you so much to all who participated in or were present for the ordination service --to all who made this mile marker possible. Yesterday, I went back to that mile marker. I listened to the recording of the charge into ministry that was given to me, and I was reminded of a few things:

• “God’s timing is always perfect…You have been called by God”
• There will be seasons of fatigue, weariness, and discouragement, but keep your focus on the goal. Go back to the day you were officially set apart. Listen to the charge and to the words of encouragement.
• “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Gal 6:9 NIV).
• “Therefore, 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” (1 Cor 15:58 NIV).
• You are not here by accident – it is all part of God’s grand design. God orchestrates events we don’t understand.
• Remember today, June 8, 2014, the day you were officially set apart as a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Why am I telling you all of this? Because I hope that this can be a call for all of us to look back on our mile markers to remember who we are and whose we are, and to know that God has created each of us to do good things for Him, things He has planned long ago (Eph 2:10), whether or not we can see them right now. 

Please keep me in your prayers as I continue to pray, knock on doors, ask, and search for what God’s plan for me in Colorado is. Pray that I will stay strong and courageous and not give up, and please let me know if there is any way I can pray for you and for your faithfulness to the mission to which God has called you.

Stand Your Ground!

Why am I so overwrought?

Why am I so disturbed?

Why can’t I just hope in God?

These are not my words, although there are so many days they could be. They were written thousands of years ago by the sons of Korah, as recorded in Psalm 42:5, 11 (VOI). Have you ever experienced such an intense struggle with discouragement? The psalmist knows God is real, and that He is with him day and night, but still he still cries out to God:

“‘Why have You forgotten me? 

Why must I live my life so depressed, crying endlessly while my enemies have the upper hand?’

My enemies taunt me. They shatter my soul the way a sword shatters a man’s bones. They keep taunting all the day long,

‘Where is He, your True God?’” (Psalm 42: 9-10 VOI).

I can relate to so much of this psalm, but when I read this last part, I thought, “I don’t really have any enemies. No one says that to me.” And then, I think the Holy Spirit spoke to me and reminded me of the truth, as Jesus said He would do (John 14:26; 16:13). Yes, I do have enemies who say these things.

I was reminded of Paul’s words to the Ephesians: “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12 NLT). Yes, I do have enemies that taunt me and “shatter my soul,” and so do you. Their attacks can seemingly come out of the blue, and if we’re not prepared, they can assault us and knock us down just like a massive tidal wave. How can we prepare for and protect ourselves from these kinds of attacks?

1. Always keep in mind that the enemy is real and that he is going to attack. The apostle Peter warns us to “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith” (1 Peter 5: 8-9a NLT). Be aware and don’t become complacent.

2. Be committed to standing your ground. Because of the nature of the enemy we are fighting against, Paul says, “you need to be head-to-toe in the full armor of God: so you can resist during these evil days and be fully prepared to hold your ground” (Eph 6:13 VOI). This reminds me of the scene in Princess Bride when a large squadron of men is stationed to guard the castle. As a giant, engulfed in flames, is approaching, uttering menacing threats, the head of the castle guard keeps shouting at his frightened men, “Stand your ground! Stand your ground!” Don’t believe the enemy’s lies and empty threats, and don’t run away. Stand your ground.   

3. The verse quoted above also says we are to wear protective armor. We are to stand our ground protected by truth, righteousness, and peace, but the most important piece is the shield of faith. Paul says, “Don’t forget to raise the shield of faith above all else, so you will be able to extinguish flaming spears hurled at you from the wicked one” (Eph 6:16 VOI). In her e-book on Ephesians 6, The 7-Day Prayer Warrior Experience, Stormy Omartian says these flaming spears that are hurled at us “are designed to pierce our heart with discouragement and make us fearful, anxious, uncertain, or incapacitated.” To prevent us from being such an easy target, we must remain under the cover of our shield of faith. The apostle Peter says that through faith, we are “shielded by God’s power” (1 Pet 1:5 NIV). It is God’s power, extended to us through our faith, that protects us from the enemy’s words, taunts, barrages, jabs, and flaming arrows. Reflect on some of these passages describing God as our shield, our source of protection.

•       “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety” (Ps 18:2 NLT).
•       “Like a bird protecting its young, God will cover you with His feathers, will protect you under His great wings; His faithfulness will form a shield around you, a rock-solid wall to protect you” (Ps 91:4 VOI).
•       “He is my tower of strength and my deliverer. He is my shield of protection and my shelter” (Ps 144:2 VOI).
•       “Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer, you shield my head in the day of battle” (Ps 140:7 NIV).
•      “But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high” (Ps 3:3 NLT).

4. Finally, we need to stand our ground together. We don’t have to fight this enemy alone. Paul says that we are to “Carry each other’s burdens…” (Gal 6:2a NIV). I am reminded of when the Israelites were fighting a battle, and Moses was atop a hill holding up the staff of God. “As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning” (Ex 17:11 NIV). When he grew tired and unable to hold up his hands on his own, “Aaron and Hur held his hands up –one on one side, one on the other –so that his hands remained steady till sunset” (Ex 17:12 NIV).

I am so very thankful for the Aarons and Hurs that God has placed in my life that help hold up my hands and reinforce my shield of faith. Just as with Moses, it makes a difference in the battle.

If you see a brother or sister who is under attack who is struggling to hold up their shield of faith, encourage them. Pray for them. Hold up their hands and help support their shield. Likewise, if your shield of faith is sagging and you feel targeted by the enemy, reach out to a fellow soldier and allow them to help you, to encourage you, to pray for you, and to help bolster up that shield to protect you from those arrows of discouragement. Let’s stand our ground together.

Be Strong and Courageous

We are now in Colorado, away from family, friends, and everything that is familiar. We have a new apartment (never lived in one before) and new weather (never experienced sub-zero temps or this much snow). Chris has a new job and new co-workers, the kids are in new schools, we need to find a new church, and I need to find a new ministry path. There is a whole lot of room for fear here in all that is new and unknown.

This morning, I was praying and reading through Joshua 1 (a very familiar passage that close friends have pointed me to often), but this morning, something new caught my attention. Joshua 1:9 says, “This is my command –be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (NLT). Did you see the first part of that verse? “This is my command” (NLT, VOI), or “Have I not commanded you?” (NIV, ESV).

The instruction to "be strong and courageous" is not just a feel-good word of encouragement or a stereotypical piece of advice offered in difficult times. It is a command, a charge, an order, a decree. It is to “state with force/authority what others must do” (7422 DBL Hebrew). This same verb is used in Genesis 2:16 where God commanded Adam not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Obviously, God meant for that to be obeyed! I was then reminded of Jesus' words, “if you love me, obey my commandments” (John 14:15 NLT). Does this include all His commands –even the one to "be strong and courageous"?

Now look at the the promise in next part of Jesus’ statement. After He says to obey His commands, He says, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you” (John 14:16 NLT). This is familiar and reminiscent of the Joshua passage. After the command to be strong and courageous, Joshua 1:9 goes on to say, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Josh 1:9b NLT). And a few verses earlier, God assures Joshua “I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Josh 1:5b NIV). 

The command to "be strong and courageous" should be an easy one to obey, but it is not. It seems that we often have a hard time remembering that God loves us more than we can imagine or comprehend, He wants what is best for us, and He has promised that He will never leave us or forsake us. If the King and Creator of the universe, the Lord who sacrificed greatly so that we could be with Him, has made us this promise, why do we find it so difficult to obey the command to be strong and courageous and not to live in fear? Let us continually remind each other that Jesus is Immanuel. He is God with us, and we have no reason to fear.

Here is my reminder of this: "Immanuel: God is with Us"